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

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.

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/

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