Automated Inspection for Offshore Wind Survey December 2022

Offshore wind turbines are examples of superb industrial design but often struggle to survive in the harsh offshore environment. Both the turbine structure above the waterline and the foundation structures are subject to different stresses such as intense dynamic loading due to exposure to waves, currents, and seabed scour. All these factors coupled with poor subsea visibility make operating in these conditions very challenging. The imperative for Operations & Maintenance (O&M) is being able to regularly inspect the subsea assets of an offshore structure reliably and cost-effectively. To achieve this objective, sophisticated bespoke equipment, including smart Remotely Operated Vehicles (ROVs), drones, and a range of sensors, have been used for remote monitoring and maintenance.

CRIS team conducted a survey from 10th to 20th December on board of new Marine Institute research vessel Tom Crean. The objectives of the trials were to demonstrate our capacities to perform safely and efficiently both underwater and aerial high-resolution offshore wind inspection in harsh environment. The mission included use of our areal drones and MRE ROV. The trials were part of our SEAI project Robot for Wind Farms. https://cris.ie/seai-project/ and RAPID project. https://rapid2020.eu/