Lobster Robotics: from Delft to the deep sea
“We know more about the surface of Mars than about our own seabed”, says Danny Looman, co-founder and CFO of Lobster Robotics. The scale-up from Delft is changing this. The company is making the underwater world highly visible through autonomous underwater drones. This is valuable for ecological research, as well as for inspecting and securing the underwater infrastructure. “We founded Lobster Robotics to make ocean research accessible, not only for big companies, but also for smaller organizations.” Danny discusses how the company makes the distinction between innovation on the one hand and supplying on the other.
How do you make the seabed visible for everyone?
Gathering information under water is often difficult, expensive and slow. Sonar technology mostly shows contours. This is why Lobster Robotics is opting for optical cameras. They map the seabed in detail so that the data can be interpreted immediately and the likelihood of errors is smaller.
Drones developed in Delft are used, among other things, to inspect seabeds at offshore wind farms and ecologica research into oyster populations. The sensors allow them to move precisely just above the bottom, even in limited visibility, strong currents and uneven surfaces. The movement is easily controlled on a tablet.
Danny explains: “This is how we make underwater inspections user friendly and widely usable. The uses range from ecology, energy, infrastructure and security.”
“The flexibility of and accessibility to this ecosystem were the determining factors. Without that support, we would not have come this far.”
The biggest technical challenge
Seven years ago, six TU Delft students went in search of the biggest technical challenge they could find. They opted for the deep sea as it is unknown, hard to reach, and technically complicated. What started as a prototype gradually grew into a user-friendly product.
The added value was soon clear to some large offshore companies. Not only in terms of its data accuracy, but also its user friendliness. This support in the first phase helped Lobster Robotics take the step from a student project to a scale-up with international goals.
Drones for Defense
The Ministry of Defense also saw its potential. After Lobster Robotics initially demonstrated the technology to the Royal Netherlands Navy, the company moved on to the next round. “We then learned the particular needs of the Ministry of Defense,” says Danny. One important difference was the need for immediate data processing instead of reports afterwards.
But the basics remain the same. “About 80% to 90% of the product is identical to the civilian version,” emphasizes Danny. He is aware of the ethical questions that military applications involve. “We discuss these regularly and are very careful about the boundaries. We are proud that our drones can be meaningful for the Netherlands, especially in these uncertain times.”
If it works in the North Sea, it will work everywhere
Just like any scale-up, Lobster Robotics comes up against practicalities. Customers often ask for tailor-made items, while the company wants to develop scalable solutions. “We have to look carefully at where we do or do not invest our time and resources.”
The technical bar is also high. The drones must be able to navigate safely around big objects like wind turbines and offshore platforms. They also need to operate in challenging environments like the North Sea with its strong winds and tides, and limited visibility. Danny says that “If it works there, it will work everywhere.”
These conditions make the North Sea the ultimate test case. They also force Lobster Robotics to keep innovating so that the technology can be widely used in ecology, energy, infrastructure and security.
‘Innovation on the one hand and supply on the other.’ How Lobster Robotics envisions its development (in Dutch):
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Continue developing your technology for new markets
The South Holland innovation ecosystem was an important aspect in the growth of Lobster Robotics. Even while they were still studying the founders were accommodated and coached, and built a valuable network at the YES!Delft tech incubator.
After that, UNIIQ, South Holland’s proof-of-concept investment fund, helped with the step from a prototype to a product. InnovationQuarter’s interest in recognizing and coaching companies with opportunities for dual-use innovation also helped in its further development.
Danny: “The flexibility of and accessibility to this ecosystem were the determining factors for us. Without that support, we would not have come this far.”
A thousand drones within five years
They have high goals. Lobster Robotics is striving to have a thousand operational drones within five years. Danny explains that this number will enable them to make a real impact.
The plan is that big companies can buy the drones, while smaller ones can rent them on a project basis. This will make reliable underwater data available for a much wider group of users that will include offshore companies, researchers, infrastructure managers, and organizations working in marine protection.
In doing this, Lobster Robotics will gradually bring the seabed closer. It will no longer be an invisible underwater world, but an environment that we can better understand, protect and manage.
