Chairman of DarkOcean Sagar Jadwani (left) with CEO Anupam Thakur
Doha: In a breakthrough poised to redefine global marine mapping, Qatar’s deep-tech startup Darkocean has launched NAVBathy, the world’s first Rapid Satellite-Derived Bathymetry engine capable of generating large-scale depth models within seconds.
The pioneering system marks a significant leap in coastal intelligence, harnessing a fusion of satellite technology and advanced artificial intelligence to deliver unprecedented speed, scale, and accessibility in bathymetric analysis.
NAVBathy is built on an integrated technological stack that draws from diverse satellite sources—including NASA platforms, Worldview, Maxar, Landsat, and Spot imagery—combined with internally developed AI and machine-learning models.
This architecture enables the platform to process vast satellite datasets rapidly and output consistent, high-resolution relative depth assessments across coastal and shallow-water regions.
According to Darkocean, NAVBathy empowers users by giving them instant access to high-resolution satellite imagery and rapid, large-scale bathymetry, turning what traditionally required weeks of field surveys into a near-instant digital workflow.
“The ability to generate accurate, large-scale relative depth maps within seconds transforms how coastal projects are scoped and risk-assessed,” said Neha Supekar, AI Solution Architect at Darkocean. Early demonstrations showed the system covering 70% of Qatar’s coastline and over 100 kilometres of adjacent waters within moments, providing engineers, planners, and operators immediate insight into seabed conditions.
“The company is now preparing to tokenize access to NAVBathy, maintaining both free and paid monthly PRO subscription options on the Darkocean AI platform. In addition, NAVBathy will be available through API integrations, allowing third-party platforms, engineering offices, and government agencies to embed its capabilities directly into their existing workflows,” said Darkocean CEO Anupam Thakur.
According to him, this strategy ensures scalability while supporting democratized access to high-value geospatial intelligence.
Beyond bathymetry, Darkocean’s internally developed AI models are expanding into a broader suite of digital geophysics solutions.
These include geophysical mapping, underwater object detection, and geotechnical interpretation for both marine and terrestrial environments.
The company emphasizes that its tools are optimized for real-world accessibility: lightweight applications capable of running smoothly on mobile phones and tablets, eliminating the need for expensive high-performance computers traditionally required for geospatial analytics.
The launch of NAVBathy has already attracted significant attention from the investment community. Venture capital firms in the United States and Europe have expressed immediate interest, while Darkocean confirms it is open to engaging potential local investors, including the Qatar Investment Authority (QIA).
“ Discussions are also underway with Qatar Satellite Company, signalling growing regional momentum for the technology. The company is currently raising funds to expand its processing infrastructure as global demand accelerates,” Thakur added.
Adding to its recent achievements, Darkocean has been accepted into the Web Summit Startup Programme, where it will showcase its digital ocean-mapping innovations on an international stage.
The company views this milestone as a key step toward strengthening partnerships, scaling adoption, and positioning NAVBathy as a transformative tool for coastal nations worldwide.
With NAVBathy, Darkocean intends not only to speed up marine decision-making but to fundamentally change how governments, developers, and researchers understand and interact with the world’s coastal and underwater environments—bringing rapid, AI-powered mapping into the hands of anyone with a connected device.
