Douala, Cameroon – On Friday, February 27, 2026, Sparte Robotics unveiled the Atawi-3A3, a remotely piloted surface drone designed for maritime surveillance. This USV (Unmanned Surface Vehicle) is intended to navigate areas where human monitoring is difficult, including port waters, coastlines, and submerged infrastructure.
The presentation took place in a setting that combined cocktails and technology, attracting a diverse audience: representatives from MINRESI Littoral, officers from the National Navy, port logistics stakeholders, mapping experts, traditional leaders, and students. All converged around this device weighing a few dozen kilograms.
The Atawi-3A3 was born from observing the needs of the Cameroonian port sector. "We worked on the project with the support of the Port Authority of Kribi, which informed us of many shortcomings in the management of ballast water and fraudulent discharges," explains Jacques Eone, CEO of Sparte Robotics. The drone, whose name is inspired by Mami Water, a mythical figure of African waters, can integrate various sensors and echo sounders. It can measure water quality, carry out bathymetric surveys, inspect infrastructure (such as the Edéa bridge), and detect dangerous gas concentrations. This versatility evokes the specter of disasters such as that of Lake Nyos.
With a range of one to two hours and a range of 500 meters, the Atawi-3A3 has already been tested on several sites along the Cameroonian coast with promising results. The Port Authority of Kribi has been supporting Sparte Robotics for over a year and a half, notably through its PAK Azure program, which focuses on leveraging port data in a Smart Port approach. Habib Iya, representative of the Port Authority of Kribi in Douala, emphasizes that "this is not a gadget innovation, but a useful innovation because it responds to a problem that has been well explained".
Behind the Atawi-3A3 is a team of engineers from Polytechnique Yaoundé, Polytechnique Douala, and other leading schools in the country. The co-founders of Sparte Robotics are spread between Cameroon, Europe, the United States, and China but share the same ambition: to put their skills at the service of Cameroonian industry.
The next step will be the development of a version 2 of the drone, incorporating feedback from the field. Sparte Robotics is also interested in aerial (UAV) and land-based (HGV) drones. The company says it is open to national and international collaborations, based on its conviction that "alone, we can do nothing. And together, we can do immense things".
The Atawi-3A3 weighs approximately 12 kg and measures 92 x 31 x 16.5 cm. It is powered by a 24V 25A lithium battery and can reach a maximum speed of 15 km/h. Its stainless steel fuselage ensures robustness and acoustic discretion, essential assets for surveillance missions.
Sparte Robotics was founded with the ambition of improving life through technology. The company aims to be a key player in the development of robotics and artificial intelligence in Africa.
