Haddy 3D Prints the TF-179 Drone Boat for U.S. Military Customers

A military drone boat printed hull and all

Haddy, a digital manufacturing company based in St. Petersburg, Florida, has produced a 3D-printed uncrewed surface vessel called the TF-179 Drone Boat. The company used large-format robotic additive manufacturing to build the hull and core structure, then integrated the necessary systems for autonomous operation.

The TF-179 is not a small craft. Haddy runs eight CEAD Flexbot systems inside a 32,000-square-foot microfactory. Seven of those printers are mounted on rails, which is the key detail that makes large hulls possible. The CEAD approach prints laterally against a vertical bed while the robotic arm travels along its track. In theory, part length is limited only by the rail length. Haddy's leadership has said 40-meter boats are within reach of the current setup.

From furniture to defense in one pivot

Haddy started out printing furniture and architectural elements. The company pivoted toward defense work over the past year, applying the same robotic cells to maritime hardware. The shift is not as sudden as it sounds. Large-format additive manufacturing translates well from consumer goods to boat hulls: both require big, custom shapes with relatively low production volumes.

Earlier in 2026, Haddy partnered with HavocAI to print the carbon-fiber-reinforced hull of a low-profile unmanned surface vessel. That hull went from design to sea trial in nine days. Integration took under a week after that. The speed impressed HavocAI enough to publicly credit Haddy's manufacturing approach as a key enabler.

In April, Red Cat Holdings' maritime division, Blue Ops, signed a partnership with Haddy to install AI-driven robotic production systems at a Valdosta, Georgia facility. The deal roughly doubles output across Blue Ops' five- and seven-meter uncrewed surface vessel lines. It also makes Haddy's microfactory network available as surge capacity, meaning production can shift closer to where vessels actually deploy.

Why the TF-179 matters

The Navy already carries containerized 3D printers aboard ships. USS Essex printed drones and spare parts during RIMPAC 2026. What Haddy is showing is that the entire vessel can come from an additive manufacturing pipeline, not just replacement brackets and tools.

The bottleneck in uncrewed maritime systems is no longer design. It is hull production. Traditional boatbuilding relies on molds, which are expensive and slow to produce. Each new hull variant needs its own mold. Large-format robotic printing removes that constraint. If Haddy can prove these printed hulls hold up over naval service life, the company will have a significant advantage over yards that still tool up for composites the old way.

The next test is longevity

Haddy has not disclosed who commissioned the TF-179, what mission profile it is built for, or the vessel's exact dimensions and displacement. That is typical for defense work, but it also means we cannot independently verify the claims.

The real test will be whether a hull printed in a Florida microfactory survives years at sea, in rough conditions, with minimal maintenance. Composites World noted in its coverage that Damen and CEAD are also testing large-format HDPE hulls, and ErectorCraft has launched as a U.S. competitor focused specifically on commercial 3D-printed boat hulls. The space is getting crowded, and the winners will be determined by qualification data, not just demo videos.

For now, the TF-179 is a strong proof of concept. Haddy has shown it can print a complete uncrewed vessel faster than conventional shipyards. The next step is proving that speed does not come at the cost of durability.