AI-Powered Autonomous Underwater Vehicle Deployed

A provider of high-tech offshore wind services has deployed what it said was the world’s first autonomous underwater vehicle (AUV) driven by artificial intelligence (AI). 

The technology was successfully used to inspect jacket structures at the Seagreen Offshore Wind Farm, which is the largest in Scotland encompassing 114 turbines 16 miles from the coast.

The AI-powered AUV was developed by Beam which was launched recently following the merger of offshore technology company Rovco and data and robotics firm Vaarst.

Using advanced AI the AUV performed complex underwater tasks with no human intervention. Beam said the demonstration marks a technological milestone for the offshore wind industry and can significantly boost the efficiency and cost-effectiveness of underwater inspections and surveys. 

Inspections of offshore wind sites are typically manually remotely operated and are time intensive. Using AI to drive a UAV and stream data directly back to shore, will allow offshore workers to concentrate on the more complex elements of their roles, the company said. 

It estimates that this AI driven way of working reduces inspection timelines by up to 50%, cutting operational costs and improving inspection data quality, said the company. It can also support 3D reconstruction of assets alongside visual data.

Related:Massive Autonomous Underwater Drone Completes 1,200-Nautical Mile Mission

“As we move further offshore, and into deeper waters – the ability to collect high-quality inspection data in a low-risk manner is imperative to us delivering our Net Zero Acceleration Programme,” said Matthew Henderson, technical asset manager of substructure and asset lifecycle at SSE Renewables which co-owns Seagreen with TotalEnergies, and PTTEP.

Beam, which has a roadmap for autonomy development, plans to roll out this new technology across its fleet of DP2 vessels, ROVs and AUVs throughout 2025 and 2026.  

“Looking ahead to the future, the potential of this technology is huge for the industry, and success in these initial projects is vital for us to progress and realize this vision,” said Brian Allen CEO of Beam. 

“This wouldn’t be possible without forward-thinking customers like SSE Renewables who are willing to go on the journey with us.”

This article first appeared in IoT World Today's sister publication AI Business.