AquaEye Inc.
3 known investors
AquaEye develops a handheld sonar device that uses machine learning to locate drowning victims underwater, indicating distance and direction to speed up searches. The product is built for water rescue teams including firefighters, law enforcement, lifeguards, and search and rescue agencies.
Also known as AquaEye · VodaSafe
Investors · 3
Company profile
researched Aug 2026AquaEye, formerly known as VodaSafe, is a Vancouver, British Columbia-based company that develops handheld sonar systems for water search and rescue. The core device is placed by hand into the water and begins scanning immediately, using machine learning to interpret sonar returns and indicate the distance and direction of a submerged person rather than requiring the operator to interpret raw sonar imagery. The company positions the product as purpose-built for rescue rather than adapted fishing or boat-mounted side-scan equipment, and reports that its use reduces search times substantially and limits the time rescue divers must spend subsurface.
The product line includes AquaEye Pro, a handheld intelligent sonar launched in May 2026 that the company describes as covering a 180-degree arc out to 165 feet, and Command Hub, a search management platform released in May 2026 that aggregates findings from multiple AquaEye units to coordinate searches in real time. Additional development work has included an ROV-mounted sonar project. Customer accounts published by the company describe deployments in rivers, ponds, lakes, offshore waters and swim areas by municipal fire departments, sheriff's offices and dive teams, and the company has publicly reported adoption by U.S. military and federal agencies.
Founding story
AquaEye was founded by Carlyn Loncaric, an engineer who serves as CEO and describes inventing the device because conventional grid searches for drowning victims were inefficient.
Business model
AquaEye sells hardware units to public-safety and defence organizations, with agencies frequently purchasing multiple devices, alongside the Command Hub search management platform that coordinates data from deployed units.
Revenue comes from sales of AquaEye and AquaEye Pro handheld sonar units to rescue and defence customers, including repeat and expansion orders such as a third U.S. Air Force order for 17 additional AquaEye Pro units.
Traction
The company reports deployments with rescue agencies in Canada, the USA, Colombia, Ecuador, Germany, Turkiye, India, Indonesia and Japan. Published customer accounts include Boston Fire Department locating a victim on the first scan after divers and boat-mounted side scan failed, Sumter County reducing a search from four hours to five minutes, and recoveries in Michigan, Colleton County, the Bay of Fundy and the Sandy River. The device was used in search operations during the Kerrville, Texas flooding and the Guadalupe River searches, and in a recovery reported in connection with the son of Lil Jon. Federal and military customers include U.S. Navy special warfare teams, the U.S. Air Force and U.S. Border Patrol BORSTAR teams.
Latest developments
In May 2026 AquaEye launched AquaEye Pro and the Command Hub search coordination platform, which the company's site lists as now shipping. In April and mid-2026 it announced adoption by U.S. Navy special warfare teams, the U.S. Air Force and federal agencies, and by U.S. Border Patrol BORSTAR teams; on June 9, 2026 it announced expansion into the Canadian defence market, and on June 25, 2026 a third U.S. Air Force order for 17 additional AquaEye Pro units.
▸Full profile — market position, technology, go-to-market, geography, history, risks & controversies
Market position
AquaEye describes its product as the only handheld sonar device designed specifically for water rescue teams, contrasting it with boat-mounted side-scan sonar and consumer fishing sonar used by dive teams.
Immediate deployment by the first arriving responder without a boat, machine-learning interpretation that marks likely human targets instead of requiring sonar expertise, reported reduction in search time and in the number of divers who must enter the water, and ruggedization for extreme rescue environments.
Technology
A handheld sonar transducer that begins scanning as soon as it is placed in the water, paired with machine-learning models trained to distinguish a human body from other underwater structures and objects and to output distance and direction to the target. AquaEye Pro scans a 180-degree area to a range of 165 feet and stores scan history for later review; the Command Hub platform combines results from multiple units for real-time search coordination. The company has also developed an ROV-mounted version of the sonar.
Go-to-market
The company sells directly to first-responder and defence agencies, supported by customer testimonials and case studies from fire departments, sheriff's offices and dive teams, media coverage of live searches, and press releases documenting military and federal adoption.
Water rescue and recovery organizations: municipal fire departments and dive teams, law enforcement and sheriff's offices, lifeguards, search and rescue agencies, and military and federal agencies including the U.S. Navy, U.S. Air Force and U.S. Border Patrol.
Geography
Headquartered in Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada, with agency users reported in Canada, the United States, Colombia, Ecuador, Germany, Turkiye, India, Indonesia and Japan.
History
The company previously operated under the name VodaSafe, under which it led a $1 million ROV-mounted sonar project announced by Canada's Ocean Supercluster as a 12-month initiative. Company materials reference ten years of work in water rescue technology. In 2026 it introduced AquaEye Pro (May 2026) and the Command Hub search coordination platform (May 2026), and announced adoption by U.S. Navy special warfare teams, the U.S. Air Force, U.S. Border Patrol BORSTAR teams and other federal agencies, followed by an announced expansion into the Canadian defence market in June 2026.
Risks & controversies
In a published open letter addressed to British Columbia provincial ministers, the company contrasted adoption of its technology by U.S. special operations with the lack of uptake in British Columbia. Company materials also note that U.S. policy uncertainty has changed the stakes for British Columbia startups.
Compiled by commissioned research from 3 cited public sources — announcements, filings, and press listed under research sources below.
Key figures
latest reportedCompany-reported or press-reported figures, each dated to when it was claimed — not independently audited.
Competitors · 1
by search overlap
Companies competing with AquaEye Inc. for the same Google search keywords, organic and paid, via search-intersection analysis.
Timeline · 8
launches, deals, and filingsOrder expands the U.S. Air Force's AquaEye Pro deployment; announced from Vancouver, BC.
Company announced expansion into the Canadian defence market following adoption by U.S. military and federal agencies.
Search management platform bringing real-time search coordination to water rescue operations; listed as shipping on the company site.
New handheld intelligent sonar for immediate, high-speed water search by first responders and military.
Company announced use of its portable AI-powered sonar by U.S. Navy Special Warfare teams for rapid underwater search operations.
Company issued a message from Vancouver, BC regarding the volume of assistance requests from search and rescue agencies responding to the Kerrville flooding.
Dated company events from announcements, filings, and press; legal rows summarize public dockets and regulator releases.
▸Research sources · 3
primary sources listed
- AquaEye Inc.aquaeye.com · web
3 public sources were cited for this profile; the first-party ones are listed here.
Frequently asked questions
- What does AquaEye Inc. do?
- AquaEye makes a handheld AI-assisted sonar system that helps first responders locate drowning victims underwater.
- Who are AquaEye Inc.'s investors?
- AquaEye Inc.'s investors include ScaleGood Fund LP (powered by TELUS), The 51 Ventures, WUTIF Capital.