AI to enable autonomous underwater robots to maintain offshore wind farms

The technology is currently undergoing trials as part of UNITE (Underwater Intervention for Offshore Renewable Energies), an EPSRC Prosperity Partnership programme led by Heriot-Watt University in collaboration with Imperial College London, geo-data specialist Fugro and underwater software developer Frontier Robotics, and supported by the National Robotarium, the UK’s centre for robotics and AI.

The project’s outcomes could ‘dramatically reduce’ the need for large maintenance vessels in offshore wind farm operations, supporting a shift towards fully remote operations and enhancing safety by reducing the need for personnel to work in hazardous offshore environments.

In a statement, David Morrison, project manager at the National Robotarium, said: “Our trials are showing promising results in enabling underwater robots to maintain stable contact with offshore structures in challenging conditions. If successful, the technology could transform offshore wind maintenance, potentially reducing fuel consumption of maintenance missions by up to 97 per cent - from 7,000 litres per day to just 200 litres. This could significantly lower both operational costs and the carbon footprint of maintenance.”