Underwater Scout Drone to be Adapted for Naval Deployment

Lobster Robotics is collaborating with the Dutch Ministry of Defence on an underwater drone known as “Scout,” set for deployment by the Royal Netherlands Navy as part of the Rapid Adoption Action Plan (RAAP) project, which aims to accelerate the implementation of new technologies for NATO.

The Scout drone is capable of capturing clear images of objects on the seabed, identifying them, and classifying them. The collaboration focuses on adapting the civil version of Scout for military use, allowing for continuous iteration and refinement toward a military-grade system.

The partnership was formalized with signatures from State Secretary for Defence Gijs Tuinman and Stephan Rutten, director of the Delft-based company. The Royal Netherlands Navy is preparing to deploy the underwater drone, providing Lobster Robotics with the opportunity to develop a customized military-grade variant of Scout. RAAP is expected to receive formal approval at the NATO Summit in 2025.

Lobster Robotics was among the first companies to participate in NATO’s DIANA innovation accelerator program, which it completed successfully in February of this year. The project involves several defense entities, including the FRONT Innovation Centre and the Defence Diving Group.

The Netherlands is now sharing the knowledge and experience gained from DIANA program with other NATO members and partner organizations.

Stephan Rutten, CEO of Lobster Robotics, commented, “This is rapid adoption in action. We’re setting the example on how the dual-use technology ecosystem within NATO can be nurtured into the next-gen capabilities that give the Alliance the competitive edge.”

Gijs Tuinman, State Secretary for Defence, added, “Dual-use technologies, such as Scout, make us faster, smarter and more effective. Within NATO, they enable us to collectively strengthen our technological edge and operational effectiveness.”