Nauticus Robotics Certifies Nauticus ToolKITT™ Autonomy Software on Light Work-Class ROVs; Completes First Paid Commercial Operation on a Retrofitted System

Rhea-AI Summary

Nauticus Robotics (NASDAQ: KITT) announced on November 3, 2025 that it has certified its Nauticus ToolKITT™ autonomy software on two light work-class ROVs acquired via its 2025 SeaTrepid acquisition and completed its first paid commercial subsea operation on a retrofitted third-party ROV.

The announcement highlights certified pool and open-water testing, modular retrofit capability without major hardware redesigns, autonomous station-keeping and navigation that reduce pilot workload, and a stated addressable market of about 1,500 ROVs. Nauticus said it will expand ToolKITT deployments and customer projects as part of initial commercial introduction.

Positive

• First paid commercial operation on a retrofitted third-party ROV (Nov 3, 2025)
• Certification of Nauticus ToolKITT on two light work-class ROVs after pool and open-water testing
• Modular retrofit demonstrated: upgrades conventional ROVs without major hardware redesigns

Negative

• None.

Insights

Autonomy commercialization analyst

Certified software deployed commercially on third-party ROVs; first paid retrofit project signals early commercialization traction.

Nauticus Robotics certified its Nauticus ToolKITT™ autonomy software on two light work-class ROVs and completed a paid commercial subsea job on a retrofitted platform on November 3, 2025. The report states the software performed station-keeping and navigation, reduced pilot workload, and integrated without major hardware or control redesigns, showing modular interoperability beyond the company’s Aquanaut® vehicle.

The business mechanism is software licensing and retrofit services: certification plus a paid project demonstrates a path to monetize autonomy across an estimated fleet of ~1,500 ROVs. Key dependencies include wider customer adoption, reproducible integration effort across vehicle variants, and continued certification/testing to support scaled sales. Risks noted in the release include forward-looking uncertainty about commercialization timelines and customer interest as highlighted in the company’s cautionary language.

Concrete items to watch in the near term: additional paid retrofit projects and partnership announcements, metrics on repeat customer engagements or fleet conversions, and any timeline updates for broader commercial introduction during the initial commercial introduction phase; expect these signals over the next 6-18 months.

HOUSTON, Nov. 3, 2025 /PRNewswire/ -- Nauticus Robotics, Inc. (NASDAQ: KITT, "Nauticus"), a pioneer in autonomous subsea robotics and intelligent software solutions, today announced the successful certification and deployment of its Nauticus ToolKITT™ autonomy software on two light work-class remotely operated vehicles (ROVs) acquired through the company's 2025 acquisition of SeaTrepid International. Following certified pool and open-water testing, Nauticus completed its first paid commercial subsea project utilizing Nauticus ToolKITT™ on a retrofitted ROV platform, marking an important milestone in extending the company's autonomy technology beyond proprietary systems.

While Nauticus ToolKITT™ is successfully deployed in operations aboard the company's flagship Aquanaut^® robot, this project represents the first commercial application of the software on a third-party ROV platform. The achievement demonstrates the flexibility and maturity of Nauticus ToolKITT™ as a modular autonomy solution capable of upgrading existing offshore vehicles without major hardware or control system redesigns.

Nauticus ToolKITT™ provides advanced autonomous station-keeping and navigation capabilities that reduce pilot workload, enhance mission consistency, and improve operational safety. The certified deployments underscore Nauticus' ability to integrate proven autonomy into conventional ROVs, delivering immediate performance benefits and establishing a clear path toward intelligent subsea operations.

"This project represents a key step in Nauticus' strategy to bring our autonomy software to the broader market," said John Gibson, President and CEO of Nauticus Robotics. "This marks the first time our technology has been used to transform a legacy ROV into a semi-autonomous asset for a paying customer."

"From an ROV operator's perspective, the difference was immediate," said Jason Hanagriff, ROV Superintendent, formerly employed by SeaTrepid and now Nauticus. "Nauticus ToolKITT™ handled station-keeping and positioning with a level of precision that normally requires continuous manual correction. It allowed our pilots to focus on the work task instead of fighting the vehicle — a real leap forward in how these systems perform offshore."

Developed and validated through years of testing – including high-fidelity simulation, hardware-in-the-loop (HIL) integration, and open-water certification – Nauticus ToolKITT™ is designed for rapid adoption across vehicle classes, a market estimated to be around 1,500 ROVs. Its modular design enables flexible deployment on diverse platforms, helping operators modernize existing fleets and extend the life of proven offshore assets. 

"With this first paid commercial operation on a retrofitted ROV, Nauticus ToolKITT™ has proven its readiness to enhance the global ROV fleet," added Gibson. "We are now building on this success through additional customer projects and collaborations that will bring autonomy to a wider range of subsea operations."

Nauticus will continue expanding Nauticus ToolKITT™ capabilities and deployments as part of its initial commercial introduction phase, further validating its role as a scalable autonomy platform for the offshore industry. 

About Nauticus Robotics

Nauticus Robotics, Inc. develops autonomous robots for the ocean industries. Autonomy requires the extensive use of sensors, artificial intelligence, and effective algorithms for perception and decision allowing the robot to adapt to changing environments. The company's business model includes using robotic systems for service, selling vehicles and components, and licensing related software to both the commercial and defense business sectors. Nauticus has designed and is currently testing and certifying a new generation of vehicles to reduce operational cost and gather data to maintain and operate a wide variety of subsea infrastructure. Besides a standalone service offering and forward-facing products, Nauticus' approach to ocean robotics has also resulted in the development of a range of technology products for retrofit/upgrading traditional remotely operated vehicle (ROV) operations and other third-party vehicle platforms. Nauticus' services provide customers with the necessary data collection, analytics, and subsea manipulation capabilities to support and maintain assets while reducing their operational footprint, operating cost, and greenhouse gas emissions, to improve offshore health, safety, and environmental exposure. https://nauticusrobotics.com/

Cautionary Language Regarding Forward-Looking Statements

This press release contains forward-looking statements within the meaning of Section 21E of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended (the "Act"), and are intended to enjoy the protection of the safe harbor for forward-looking statements provided by the Act as well as protections afforded by other federal securities laws. Such forward-looking statements include but are not limited to: the expected timing of product commercialization or new product releases; customer interest in Nauticus' products; estimated operating results and use of cash; and Nauticus' use of and needs for capital. Generally, statements that are not historical facts, including statements concerning possible or assumed future actions, business strategies, events, or results of operations, are forward-looking statements. These statements may be preceded by, followed by, or include the words "believes," "estimates," "expects," "projects," "forecasts," "may," "will," "should," "seeks," "plans," "scheduled," "anticipates," "intends," or "continue" or similar expressions. Forward-looking statements inherently involve risks and uncertainties that may cause actual events, results, or performance to differ materially from those indicated by such statements. These forward-looking statements are based on Nauticus' management's current expectations and beliefs, as well as a number of assumptions concerning future events. There can be no assurance that the events, results, or trends identified in these forward-looking statements will occur or be achieved. Forward-looking statements speak only as of the date they are made, and Nauticus is not under any obligation and expressly disclaims any obligation, to update, alter, or otherwise revise any forward-looking statement, whether as a result of new information, future events, or otherwise, except as required by law. Readers should carefully review the statements set forth in the reports which Nauticus has filed or will file from time to time with the Securities and Exchange Commission (the "SEC") for a more complete discussion of the risks and uncertainties facing the Company and that could cause actual outcomes to be materially different from those indicated in the forward-looking statements made by the Company, in particular the sections entitled "Risk Factors" and "Cautionary Note Regarding Forward-Looking Statements" in documents filed from time to time with the SEC, including Nauticus' Annual Report on Form 10-K filed with the SEC on April 15, 2025. Should one or more of these risks, uncertainties, or other factors materialize, or should assumptions underlying the forward-looking information or statements prove incorrect, actual results may vary materially from those described herein as intended, planned, anticipated, believed, estimated, or expected. The documents filed by Nauticus with the SEC may be obtained free of charge at the SEC's website at www.sec.gov.

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SOURCE Nauticus Robotics, Inc.

FAQ

What did Nauticus (KITT) announce on November 3, 2025 about ToolKITT?

Nauticus announced certification of Nauticus ToolKITT™ on two light work-class ROVs and completion of its first paid commercial operation on a retrofitted third-party ROV.

Which ROV platforms did Nauticus ToolKITT™ deploy on for the first paid commercial job?

ToolKITT™ was deployed on two light work-class ROVs acquired in Nauticus' 2025 SeaTrepid acquisition and on a retrofitted third-party ROV platform.

How does Nauticus say ToolKITT™ improves offshore operations for KITT shareholders?

Nauticus states ToolKITT™ provides autonomous station-keeping and navigation that reduce pilot workload, improve mission consistency, and enhance operational safety.

Does the announcement indicate a market opportunity for ToolKITT™ for KITT investors?

The company cites a market estimated at about 1,500 ROVs for rapid adoption across vehicle classes.

Is Nauticus planning further ToolKITT™ deployments after this first commercial operation?

Yes; Nauticus said it is building on the success with additional customer projects and collaborations to expand ToolKITT™ deployments.