Red Cat Holdings’ maritime division, Blue Ops, has entered a strategic partnership with HADDY to implement large-scale robotic 3D printing and distributed manufacturing at its Valdosta, Georgia, facility.
The collaboration equips the site with advanced Agentic AI-powered production systems specifically designed to accelerate the development of Unmanned Surface Vessels (USVs). By integrating HADDY’s microfactory approach with Blue Ops’ autonomous maritime expertise, the partnership effectively doubles overall manufacturing capacity. This technological shift allows for faster design iterations and on-demand production of 5-meter and 7-meter USV variants, moving away from the constraints of traditional shipbuilding.
Barry Hinckley, President of Blue Ops, commented, “This partnership advances our ability to iterate at the speed of modern conflict. This also underscores a shift in how boats are built. The industry has seen moments like this when fiberglass replaced wood, and we’re seeing a similar transition now with large-scale 3D printing. This fundamentally changes how quickly we can move from concept to deployment and gives us the ability to meet demand at scale in ways the industry hasn’t seen before.
“Another critical reason Blue Ops decided to partner with HADDY is our confidence in how the company prioritizes high-level data and IP protection, which is non-negotiable in an industry like ours.”
The manufacturing model utilizes Agentic AI models that learn and adapt during the fabrication process, reducing production delays and improving vessel performance. Beyond the physical hardware, the partnership emphasizes high-level data and intellectual property protection, a requirement for Red Cat’s defense and national security operations.
In addition to the Georgia facility expansion, Blue Ops will gain access to HADDY’s broader network of distributed microfactories. This allows production to be shifted or scaled globally, placing manufacturing closer to operational areas to reduce logistical bottlenecks. This distributed model is intended to support urgent or large-scale orders for uncrewed systems, aligning with domestic efforts to strengthen U.S. manufacturing capabilities for critical defense technology.
Jay Rogers, Co-founder and CEO at HADDY, added, “Manufacturing is moving toward a more distributed and scalable model, and large-scale robotic 3D printing is a key part of that shift. By combining production technology with a global microfactory network, we can build complex systems more efficiently and closer to where they are needed. Blue Ops is early in applying this approach to maritime systems, and it has the potential to reshape how these platforms are produced and deployed.”
