Release the Kraken: Drone boat dropped from Atlas aircraft in first-of-a-kind sea trial

A drone boat has been pushed out of the back of an A400M Atlas and parachuted into the North Sea in a Royal Navy trial to test how maritime drones could be flown into action.

The Kraken K3 Scout uncrewed surface vessel was dropped from 1,300ft four times over six days, in what has been described as the first airdrop of its kind from a military transport aircraft.

The trial was carried out by Kraken Technology Group and Capewell under Project Beehive – the programme bringing uncrewed surface vessels into service as part of the Navy’s planned hybrid fleet.

• Royal Navy first as strike-capable drone launched from deck of experimental ship
• To protect and serve: RAF's new StormShroud drones to support F-35s and Typhoons
• Ukrainian drone operators bring frontline lessons to Sweden's largest military exercise

"The recent air dispatch trials that Kraken have conducted show the potential of this capability to rapidly deploy globally, " said Captain Adam Ballard, who is involved in Project Beehive.

"Since the earliest aircraft carriers and seaplane tenders we have become accustomed to air power deploying from maritime power. 

"We are now moving to a future where maritime power can be deployed from air power."

The demonstrations were designed to prove that a small uncrewed vessel could survive being dropped from an aircraft and then operate without needing a support ship or nearby port.

The boat was pushed from the aircraft into waters with waves of up to 8ft.

The K3 Scout can be used for roles including surveillance, force protection, logistics and precision strike. 

Kraken lists the vessel as 8.4m long, with a 600kg payload, a top speed of 55 knots and a range of 650 nautical miles at 25 knots.

Project Beehive was set up to help the Royal Navy bring emerging uncrewed technology into service and learn how to operate uncrewed surface vessels.

The Royal Navy ordered 20 Kraken uncrewed boats earlier this year under a £12.3m contract. 

The boats will be used by the Coastal Forces Squadron and 47 Commando Royal Marines.