Saronic, a defense company co-founded by a former Navy SEAL, has made history by employing a remotely piloted drone boat to rescue the crew of an Apache helicopter struck near the Strait of Hormuz.
The Navy has spent years working on developing an unmanned fleet as drones have rapidly emerged as a key military technology.
Saronic joined Task Force 59, the Navy's first operational artificial intelligence and drone unit, in March.
The company has secured a $392 million contract with the Navy and has three flagship vessels, all capable of autonomous operation.
Saronic has raised billions from blue-chip defense investors and is currently valued at $9.25 billion.
The company is investing in scaling shipbuilding capacity and has the capacity to build thousands of boats a year in its 500,000-square-foot Texas facility.
Saronic's CEO sees drones replacing humans in many dangerous scenarios and aims to keep servicemembers out of harm's way.
