The Anonymous Widower

Is The UK Developing Sea-Drones To Protect Wind Farms?

I asked Google AI the question in the title of this post and received this answer.

Yes, the UK is actively developing and utilizing sea-drones (and autonomous boats) for its offshore wind farms. This technology is being used to protect the farms by patrolling subsea infrastructure, inspecting underwater turbine foundations, and delivering heavy equipment to mitigate human risk.

Here is a look at how sea drones and autonomous systems are being developed and used for the UK’s offshore energy sector:

Subsea Security and Patrolling: The UK and NATO are highly focused on protecting critical subsea cables and wind networks from adversarial interference. Firms like Aberdeen-based Honuworx have been contracted to develop autonomous underwater vehicles capable of prolonged remote operation for defense and infrastructure surveillance.

Underwater Structure Inspection: Projects like the UNITE program (led by Heriot-Watt University and supported by the National Robotarium) are testing AI-controlled underwater robots to operate in turbulent seas and maintain offshore wind infrastructure. Meanwhile, Beam (an offshore wind services company) successfully deployed the world’s first AI-driven autonomous underwater drone at Scotland’s Seagreen wind farm, cutting inspection times in half.

Sailing Drones & Remote Operations: Energy companies like Vattenfall are controlling uncrewed surface vessels (USVs) and sailing drones from remote operation centers in Aberdeen to patrol and keep North Sea wind farms safe and efficient.

Heavy-Lift Cargo Drones: Beyond sea drones, energy giant Ørsted has utilized giant autonomous drones to deliver heavy equipment—like 70kg boxes of safety gear—directly to the tops of offshore wind turbines in the UK, removing the need for ships and cranes in rough seas

We should fight fire with innovation.

 

 

June 14, 2026 Posted by | Artificial Intelligence, Design, Energy, Transport/Travel, World | , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | Leave a comment

‘Largest Drone Cargo Delivery Programme Ever Done Outside Military’ Underway At UK Offshore Wind Farms

The title of this post, is the same as that of this article on offshoreWIND.biz.

This is the sub-heading.

Ørsted and the UK-based drone operator Skylift have launched what Ørsted says is the largest drone delivery programme ever attempted to offshore wind sites, with over 550 flights to more than 400 turbines at four UK offshore wind farms: Hornsea One and Hornsea Two on the east coast, and Walney 1 & 2 on the west coast.

These two paragraphs add more detail.

According to the offshore wind developer, this is the largest programme of drone offshore equipment deliveries that has ever been done outside the military. It is also the first time that drones have been used for a delivery programme of this magnitude so far offshore, where turbines are up to 120 kilometres out at sea, according to Ørsted.

The two companies are using the FlyingBasket heavy-lift cargo drones to transport boxes of critical safety evacuation equipment, which weigh up to 70 kilogrammes, from a ship to the nacelle at the top of each wind turbine at a height of more than 100 metres.

This web site gives more details of the Italian FlyingBasket heavy-lift cargo drone.

We will be seeing many drone applications like this.

August 29, 2025 Posted by | Energy, Transport/Travel | , , , , , , | Leave a comment