On November 12, Japanese electronics manufacturer, Kyocera, demonstrated an underwater laser communication laser system with fiber-like speeds of up to 5.2Gbps, with high-bandwidth optical links that transforms how drones, sensors, and submarines transmit data beneath waves.
Kyocera’s test was conducted in controlled freshwater conditions, leaping beyond traditional acoustic systems that rarely exceed a few megabits per second.
Even in a challenging offshore environment near Numazu City in Shizuoka Prefecture, the underwater sensor networks system managed an impressive 750Mbps result, considering the scattering and turbidity of coastal seawater.
The Japanese company refers to the technology as a support for real-time video streaming, fast sensor offload, and low-latency underwater networking teleoperation for underwater robots.
How Does Underwater Laser Communication Work?
Instead of using sound, Kyocera transfers data in light scattering in water through tightly focused blue-green laser light beams and wavelengths, known for traveling farther underwater.
The system combines an ultra-wide optical front-end circuit, increasing bandwidth for underwater streaming beyond 1GHz with a custom physical (PHY) layer to convert digital information into highly efficient optical signals.
Through the underwater laser communication laser system, Kyocera claims the setup provides 2.5 times the capacity of commercial underwater optical systems, enabling high-definition video and bulk data transfer at distances up to 100 meters.
Maintaining this performance requires precise alignment, where even a passing fish or drifting kelp frond can interrupt the link. More advanced underwater optical wireless communication systems may eventually rely on gimbaled mounts, Micro-Electro-Mechanical Systems (MEMS) mirrors, or rapid reacquisition algorithms to keep the beams locked in place, especially for moving underwater vehicles.
The ideal laboratory environment allows the system to reach a peak throughput of 5.2Gbps, where the real world is less forgiving.
Salt in the water, delays particles, microbubbles, sunlight, and biofouling all degrade optical signals. Still, the offshore trial at 750Mbps suggests meaningful performance even in imperfect waters.
Acoustic communication is foundational for long distance transmission, but lasers deliver a larger bandwidth jump for short-range links, creating a hybrid future where vehicles smoothly switch between acoustics and optics. Yet, at the end of the day, it all depends on the conditions.
Potential Applications for Underwater Optical Wireless Communication
Gigabit-class underwater links could transform ocean monitoring, defense operations, and marine research data transmission industry workflows. Autonomous underwater vehicles inspecting pipelines or offshore wind farms could stream HD video directly to surface vessels.
Ocean observatories might relay high-rate sensor payloads such as sonar mosaics, or chemical analyses, without waiting for physical retrieval. Static sensors placed along subsea cables could transfer diagnostic data instantly and act as high-speed underwater data transfer backups if a cable is damaged.
Rapid, low-latency submarine laser link optical communication could enhance coordination among unmanned underwater systems, reduce reliance on heavy fiber tethers, and boost situational awareness during naval operations.
Tech still faces challenges with line-of-sight limitations, environmental interference, optical misalignment, and marine growth on lenses, but Kyocera’s underwater laser believes continued refinement will bring it closer to commercial use.
Kyocera plans to showcase the system at CES 2026, suggesting further updates as real-world tests progress.
With underwater laser communication data demands growing from scientific missions to security operations, Kyocera’s laser system highlights a future in which subsea communication begins to resemble the high-speed networks depending on the surface.
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