Ilika has launched ORKA, a new brand for its pressure-tolerant deep-sea battery systems designed for autonomous underwater vehicles.
The brand has been created to address customer demand in the growing market for pressure-tolerant batteries used in AUVs, according to the company.
The move forms part of Ilika’s wider strategy to deploy its Goliath batteries in non-automotive applications, including defence, in an effort to secure early commercialisation opportunities.
Focus on autonomous underwater vehicles
AUVs are used for underwater surveys and to help protect critical national infrastructure such as fibre optic cables and gas pipelines. These uncrewed, untethered robotic submarines operate independently using pre-programmed instructions, diving, navigating and collecting underwater data without human pilots or cables.
Ilika said that made them suitable for deep-sea mapping, commercial infrastructure inspection and military defence.
The company added that pressure-tolerant batteries are the optimum solution because they do not require a heavy metal pressure vessel to contain them. Ilika offers pressure-tolerant batteries that provide longer endurance and can operate at depths of up to 6,000 metres.
The cells and packs are built in the UK, which Ilika said helps to provide a secure and sovereign supply chain. The company said that would be crucial for defence applications.
In March 2026, Ilika announced it had received positive feedback from a UK defence agency on safety tests of its Goliath batteries under battlefield conditions, which the company said highlighted the potential of the technology for use in high-risk, mission-critical environments where safety is paramount.
Management comments
Graeme Purdy, chief executive of Ilika, said the company had seen increasing interest and opportunity for its Goliath batteries in non-automotive markets such as e-bikes, defence and marine over the course of this year.
He said those areas offered early routes to commercialisation and noted that AUVs are deployed in both commercial and defence applications, where sovereign supply can be crucial.
Purdy also said mobile energy storage is important for many modern defence applications, including AUVs and drones, and that Ilika had recently appointed Maj Gen (Retd) Robin Anderton-Brown as a defence sector adviser to support access to these markets.
The launch gives Ilika another route to promote its battery technology beyond electric vehicles, while keeping the focus on defence and marine uses that the company believes can reach the market sooner.
