Norwegian energy generation company Ørsted loves to push the frontier when it comes to applying drone technology to offshore operations.
Yesterday, the company announced that – together with partner Skyports Drone Services – it embarked on what it described as its most complex cargo drone trial to date: a cargo drone operation where the loading method at collection point deployed an automatic hook, instead of relying on physical manpower.
The new system – a new trial of a large cargo drone at Hornsea 2, its offshore wind farm in the North Sea – reportedly removed the need for an operator to connect the cargo container manually, making the process more automated, efficient and safe.
As Ørsted further explained, the approach allows rapid response enabling quicker delivery of tools, spare parts and welfare items so maintenance can be completed faster and turbines can spend more time generating electricity.
The partners worked on the new system for four weeks, bringing together specialists in safety, aviation, warehousing and site operations, as well as the UK Civil Aviation Authority’s regulatory framework.
“This trial confirms our approach to integrating drone-enabled maintenance into our routine operations,” said Richard McCrilley, Project Lead at Ørsted.
“By delivering parts and tools more efficiently and safely, we can improve turbine uptime and reduce emissions and operating costs. As we had a daily presence, we were able to cater for a variety of ad-hoc flight requests and get equipment sent out to support the teams. We were able to cover both planned and reactive works.
“On a personal note, it was impressive how we have moved into this logistics phase. The technology performed really well and the team worked incredibly hard in project development and execution.”
Each maintenance kit hauled contained repair tools, spare parts and materials required for specific tasks. The kits, weighing approximately 55–65 kg, were packed in bags and flown to different turbines before technicians arrived.
After the work was completed, the drone collected the kits and returned them to the Service Operations Vessel (SOV).
“The offshore environment is a challenging one – traditional turbine logistics, either through vessels or helicopters, involve time, coordination, varying levels of risk and cost.” said Alex Brown, CEO, Skyports Drone Services.
“At Hornsea 2, we’ve shown the potential for cargo drones as a viable alternative that minimises these factors. These drones give wind farm operators like Ørsted a practical way to reduce lifting and vessel movements, get technicians working faster and maximise the time turbines spend generating.”
The turbine can continue generating electricity while a delivery is in progress, reducing lost production. The approach also enhances safety by reducing lifting operations by technicians offshore. Fewer vessel trips also may lower fuel use, emissions and operating costs.
“Safety remained a core priority,” Skyports said in its statement.
“Drones minimise manual lifting and cargo handling for technicians, delivering tools and spare parts directly between a vessel and the top of a turbine. This helps reduce exposure to lifting operations and changing sea conditions. Each flight was carefully planned, coordinated and monitored to manage aviation, weather and operational risks.”
In a milestone for offshore drone operations, the team also completed its first delivery beyond visual line of sight (BVLOS) inside the wind farm. The drone travelled around 4 km, with the flight planned, coordinated and monitored from a specialist service vessel.
“The successful delivery of this trial reflects the strong collaboration between Skyports, Ørsted and the wider aviation community,” Ed Clay, Head of Technical Strategy, Future Safety and Innovation, UK Civil Aviation Authority.
“By enabling increasingly complex beyond visual line of sight operations, we are helping to demonstrate how drones can safely deliver meaningful economic and operational benefits.
“Continued industry collaboration and evidence gathering will be vital as we work towards integrating routine BVLOS operations into the airspace system and unlocking the full potential of this technology.”
Based in the UK, Skyports Drone Services is a drone services company that offers BVLOS flight for delivery and inspection use cases.
It partners with maritime and offshore industries, healthcare providers, infrastructure and asset owners, and public bodies to improve connectivity, safety and sustainability with drone operations.