British Startup Develops Autonomous Ocean Robots to Collect Data Inside Category Five Hurricanes
British startup Oshen has achieved a groundbreaking technological milestone by developing autonomous marine robots capable of collecting real-time data from inside Category Five hurricanes — a breakthrough expected to transform ocean science and extreme weather forecasting.
The innovation addresses a long-standing gap in the lack of direct field data during violent storms, a challenge that has historically limited the accuracy of climate models and predictions of hurricane paths and impacts.
The company developed a fleet of small marine robots known as C-Stars, designed to remain at sea for up to 100 consecutive days. The robots can operate independently or in coordinated swarms to monitor wave height, wind speeds, and dynamic changes on the ocean surface, even under the harshest conditions.
During a mission near the U.S. Virgin Islands, more than 15 robots were deployed ahead of a powerful hurricane. Three of them successfully survived inside the storm and recorded complete datasets throughout its passage — becoming the first marine robots ever to capture direct measurements from within a Category Five hurricane.
Oshen began its journey through self-funding, using a sailboat as a floating laboratory to test early prototypes in high-risk marine environments. The company later succeeded in designing a low-cost, compact robot capable of long-term endurance.
The achievement has attracted interest from government and defense agencies, with the company already signing contracts to deploy its technology in weather forecasting, ocean monitoring, and maritime security.
Based in Plymouth, Oshen is now preparing to expand and raise new investment amid growing global demand for advanced marine monitoring solutions that could reshape how scientists understand hurricanes in the future.