With the country's strategic situation along the world's vital maritime routes and all, it was perhaps just a matter of time before offshore drone logistics came calling.
Which they have done now.
Skyports Drone Services (Skyports), the UK-headquartered provider of drone delivery and inspection services for healthcare, maritime, logistics and energy use cases, has successfully completed Singapore’s first Shore-to-Ship beyond visual line of sight (BVLOS) drone deliveries.
The pilot flights also saw the collection of bunker fuel samples to and from bunker tanker vessels.
Conducted in partnership with the TFG Marine, CBS Ventures and the Maritime and Port Authority of Singapore (MPA), the trial’s goal was to review safety parameters for using drones to improve tanker vessel operations.
The drone company said the trials demonstrated that drones can be safely used in marine fuelling environments such as around bunker tankers, under stringent safety requirements.
“After extensive research, training and preparation by our team over the last two years we’re proud to see our team successfully and safely completing their trials, providing a proven roadmap to drone operations around marine refuelling environments,” said Alex Brown, Director of Drone Services, Skyports.
“With Singapore seeing over 130,000 vessel calls annually, according to statistics from the MPA, drone technology has real potential to reduce the risks associated with vessel-to-vessel transfers in Singapore’s port waters and enhance operational efficiency.”
Operated remotely from MPA’s Maritime Innovation Lab (MIL) 3.0, the Speedbird DLV-2 drone departed Skyports’ designated Take Off and Landing Pad (TOLP) at the Maritime Drone Estate, flying BVLOS to the vessel.
Once at the vessel, the drone descended above the deck, lowering a cargo box on its winch, to where trained TFG Marine crew loaded the bunker oil sample.
Signalling to the remote pilot, the crew vacated the area to a safe zone, with the remote pilot retracting the winch and flying the drone back to the TOLP. From there, TFG Marine personnel collected the oil sample, taking it to its lab on land for quality testing.
The trials concluded with the drones successfully transporting bunker fuel samples to and from TFG Marine’s vessel MT Diligence – which proved to be a faster, safer, and more sustainable alternative to in-person deliveries made by TFG Marine’s launch boats, which involve vessel-to-vessel crossings of delivery personnel.
"TFG Marine is pleased to support innovative technology that can transform traditional maritime activities,” said Kenneth Dam, Global Head of Bunkering, TFG Marine.
“We're constantly looking to improve operational performance and make bunkering services easier with a focus on transparency and reliability through digital solutions. We're excited to partner with Skyports and the Maritime Port Authority of Singapore on a new drone delivery initiative in one of the world’s busiest ports."
A core part of the trial was validating and demonstrating that drones can safely operate in marine refuelling environments with risk mitigation measures in place.
It involved extensive research and regulatory discussions over the course of nearly two years, including pre-trial checks on electrostatic discharge from the drone, and performing real-time gas and vessel drift measurements prior to drone operations on MT Diligence.
In flight route planning, the drones also approached the tanker perpendicularly to the winch area with a structured flight sequence, avoiding the most hazardous areas of the tanker. In the unlikely event of a signal loss, the drone is also preprogrammed to exit the way it approached the vessel.
During the trial Skyports provided a full end-to-end service, including route planning, regulatory approvals, drone operations, training to vessel crew and data collection and analysis.
Following the trial and analysis of the results, Skyports will continue to work with MPA and the tanker community to expand the trials and strengthen safety protocols.