RWE Speeds Up Offshore Turbine Servicing With Heavy-Lift Drone Deliveries

Heavy-lift drones have attracted widespread public attention in Ukraine, where they are a common platform for a variety of defense applications, but they are also making big inroads in the commercial market - including offshore wind. Dutch walk-to-work gangway firm Ampelmann has just finished up a maintenance project at RWE's Triton Knoll project, augmenting its traditional SOV equipment product line with a direct-to-nacelle drone lift service.

Over the course of six weeks, Ampelmann's drone fleet moved more than nine tonnes of cargo from deck level to turbine-top at the Triton Knoll site, making a total of more than 250 flights at loads of up to 80 kilos each (175 pounds). Even before the SOV's tech teams arrived at the turbine to do their work, the drones pre-staged parts, safety gear and tools on landing areas on top. At the end of the job, the drones would come and pick up their gear.

The advantage is in taking the basic task of lifting logistics off of the SOV crew and simplifying it through drone delivery instead. The vessel doesn't have to be positioned, its crane doesn't have to be spotted over the loading zone, and the personnel on board don't have to focus on cargo ops. The work can even be done in the dark.

"By working into the night, we can turn vessel idle time directly into productive lifting work. We can also deliver and retrieve cargo remotely from operating turbines, allowing power generation to continue while we conduct our operations. In addition to reducing vessel movements, crane lifts and manual cargo handling, we increase the effective tool time of technicians by 15 to 20 percent," said Thijs van ’t Geloof, Business Developer at Ampelmann, in a statement.

Most of the flight path is carried out autonomously, and contractor pilots handle any exceptions. RWE engineering manager Morten Christiansen added that his team is "delighted" at the results.