Haddy 3D Prints TF-179 Drone Boat With Robotic LFAM

Updated on August 17, 2026 • 5 min read

Haddy has produced a new unmanned vessel, the TF-179 Drone Boat, using robotic large-format additive manufacturing (LFAM), demonstrating another application of automated composite 3D printing for maritime platforms.

The St. Petersburg, Florida-based manufacturer has not disclosed the customer behind the project or the intended mission of the TF-179. However, the vessel follows Haddy’s previous work applying robotic additive manufacturing to rapidly produce unmanned surface vehicle structures.

The development points to a different manufacturing model for maritime systems: rather than relying on molds and conventional composite layup processes, large structures can be manufactured directly from digital designs and modified more rapidly between iterations.

Robotic LFAM Changes the Boatbuilding Process

Conventional composite boatbuilding commonly requires tooling before production of the final structure can begin.

For low-volume or frequently changing unmanned platforms, this tooling requirement can add time when a hull geometry needs to be modified.

Haddy’s approach uses robotic LFAM systems to manufacture large composite structures directly from digital models.

The company says this enables manufacturers to move more quickly through design, production, evaluation and subsequent design changes.

That flexibility is particularly relevant to specialized maritime platforms where production quantities may be relatively small and configurations can change as operational requirements develop.

Eight Robotic LFAM Systems Support Production

Haddy operates a 2,800-square-meter manufacturing facility in St. Petersburg equipped with eight robotic LFAM systems supplied by CEAD.

Instead of using a conventional enclosed 3D printer, these systems employ industrial robotic arms capable of depositing material across substantially larger work envelopes.

The resulting setup enables Haddy to apply additive manufacturing to structures far larger than typical polymer 3D-printed components, including marine hulls.

The TF-179 represents the latest vessel produced through this manufacturing strategy.

Previous Drone Hull Used Carbon Fiber-Reinforced Polymer

The project follows Haddy’s earlier work with HavocAI on a low-profile unmanned surface vehicle (LPUSV).

For that project, Haddy used carbon fiber-reinforced polymer (CFRP) to 3D print the hull of an autonomous semi-submersible vessel.

According to previous reporting, the resulting structure was delivered as a functional, testable platform within days rather than months.

This shortened manufacturing cycle enabled the development team to proceed rapidly into system integration and field testing before using the results to inform subsequent iterations.

The material used for the new TF-179 has not been disclosed in the supplied information, so it should not automatically be assumed that the new vessel uses the same CFRP material system.

Digital Manufacturing Enables Faster Design Changes

One of the significant differences between LFAM and tooling-dependent composite production is how engineering changes are implemented.

When a conventionally molded composite hull undergoes a major geometry change, manufacturers may also need to modify or replace its tooling.

With robotic additive manufacturing, changes can instead be introduced primarily through the vessel’s digital design and manufacturing program.

Haddy can therefore adjust a design and manufacture another version without rebuilding an entire physical tooling system.

This does not eliminate subsequent machining, integration, testing or qualification requirements, but it can substantially change the front end of the manufacturing process for prototype and low-volume structures.

Maritime Drone Production Becomes Another LFAM Market

Haddy’s involvement in unmanned maritime systems extends beyond individual demonstrators.

The company has also established a manufacturing partnership with Blue Ops, the maritime drone division of Red Cat Holdings, aimed at expanding production capacity for uncrewed surface vessels.

These developments indicate that LFAM is moving beyond demonstration parts toward applications where manufacturers are evaluating the technology as part of an actual production strategy.

For unmanned maritime platforms, the attraction is not simply the ability to 3D print a large hull.

The larger opportunity lies in combining digital design, robotic manufacturing and rapid iteration so that new vessel configurations can move from engineering data to physical hardware without the same tooling requirements associated with conventional composite boatbuilding.

The TF-179 provides another example of how large-format composite additive manufacturing is being evaluated for this increasingly active area of maritime manufacturing.

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