SAN FRANCISCO, March 27, 2019 /TechCrunch/ -- Venture capitalist and SolarCity co-founder Peter Rive spearheads a $7 million Series A funding for Sofar Ocean Technologies, an emerging startup resulting from the fusion of underwater drone manufacturer OpenROV and sea sensor producer Spoondrift. Through their merger, they aim to merge the Trident drone's 1080p capabilities with the solar-powered Spotter sensor, empowering users to gather data both above and beneath the ocean surface, enabling various applications such as capturing video footage, tracking waves and weather, identifying fishing spots, inspecting marine vessels, monitoring aquaculture sites, and detecting illicit activities.