Robotics & Automation News

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EDF employs ‘unique’ underwater drone to carry out ‘first ever’ autonomous robotic inspection of wind farm foundations

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EDF has installed a uniquely customised remotely operated vehicle (ROV) to carry out what is believed to be the first autonomous wind farm foundation inspection at its Blyth Offshore Wind Farm.

The ROV, equipped and operated by researchers from the ORCA Hub, a strategic project within the National Robotarium, was modified to include cutting-edge robotic technologies for autonomous inspection capabilities and carried out visual inspections of the gravity-based foundations of three offshore turbines over the course of four days.

The inspections were undertaken as part of a partnership between EDF and the ORCA Hub to investigate a wide range of potential applications for drone technology to assess offshore wind turbines. [Read more…] about EDF employs ‘unique’ underwater drone to carry out ‘first ever’ autonomous robotic inspection of wind farm foundations

Marine robotics specialist Vaarst raises $20 million to expand

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Marine robotics specialist Vaarst has closed on the first $20 million of its Series B round led by energy transition investor Legal & General Capital, alongside the venture capital arm of the international energy company Equinor.

Existing shareholder Foresight Group also participated alongside In-Q-Tel, the strategic investor for the US intelligence and defence communities and allied nations.

Vaarst is a leading provider of autonomy and cloud managed robotics; supporting the offshore wind, wave & tidal, scientific, maritime security, and civils industries. [Read more…] about Marine robotics specialist Vaarst raises $20 million to expand

Benefits of Hiring an Offshore Development Team

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The use of offshore development teams began back in the late eighties. The companies that use them today have seen tremendous success. The ones that have not switched over need to catch up with the times.

Professionals from around the world all agree that new startups need to take the time to find an offshore development team to help them gain traction, and to ensure that they make a profit quickly.

Fortunly has found that 54 percent of all companies use offshore teams, and out of those 78 percent of them feel that it has had a positive impact on them. [Read more…] about Benefits of Hiring an Offshore Development Team

Fugro launches its new generation of uncrewed surface vessels in the Netherlands

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Fugro’s Blue Essence, an offshore certified uncrewed surface vessel (USV) with an electric remotely operated vehicle (eROV), will begin its first project in the Netherlands. 

During operations the vessel is controlled from an onshore remote operations centre (ROC) via a satellite connection and will be used for the inspection of offshore assets, construction support services, and hydrographic and geophysical surveys.

USVs play an important role in the future of the maritime sector by improving safety, reducing carbon emissions, and delivering data more efficiently. [Read more…] about Fugro launches its new generation of uncrewed surface vessels in the Netherlands

Taurob and Equinor to introduce autonomous robots on Norway’s offshore platforms

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Norwegian petroleum refining company Equinor is introducing autonomous ATEX-certified robots on their oil and gas installations.

ATEX is the European certification given to equipment tested and approved to be “intrinsically safe”.

Partner in the project is inspection robotics specialist Taurob of Austria. Its robot will be used to conduct routine inspection and maintenance tasks on offshore installations.

Taurob started developing robotics applied for human safety, particularly in emergency response situations, 11 years ago. Safety is also the main driver for the energy domain to step into robotics. [Read more…] about Taurob and Equinor to introduce autonomous robots on Norway’s offshore platforms

Fujitsu to use ‘world’s fastest supercomputer’ for tsunami prediction

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Fujitsu, in partnership with other companies and academic institutions, has developed a computing system that will enable the prediction of tsunamis – massive, sudden floods caused by turbulence at sea. 

The International Research Institute of Disaster Science at Tohoku University, the Earthquake Research Institute at the University of Tokyo, and Fujitsu Laboratories have developed an artificial intelligence model that will empower disaster management teams with the ability to predict tsunami flooding in coastal areas in near real-time.

The system harnessed the computational power of what is claimed to be “the world’s fastest supercomputer”, Fugaku, jointly developed by Riken and Fujitsu. [Read more…] about Fujitsu to use ‘world’s fastest supercomputer’ for tsunami prediction

Explosion-proof ANYmal canine robots inspecting Petronas’ offshore platform

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Petronas, a global energy and solutions company from Malaysia, is testing the ANYmal four-legged dog-like robot from ANYbotics for autonomous robotic inspection on its oil and gas platforms. (See video below.)

They recently conducted a successful multi-week installation with the robot ANYmal C on one of their offshore facilities. For commercial use in 2022, ANYbotics and Petronas are co-developing a specialized version of ANYmal for potentially explosive environments.

Petronas relies on robotics to enable unmanned industrial inspections in its production operations. Its long-term partnership with ANYbotics focuses on bringing robotic routine inspection to offshore and onshore facilities targeting the commercial use of the ANYmal canine robot in potentially explosive environments by 2022. [Read more…] about Explosion-proof ANYmal canine robots inspecting Petronas’ offshore platform

Flylogix and Cambridge Consultants to use Iridium’s satellites for drone platform

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Flylogix and Cambridge Consultants have agreed a collaboration that will use Iridium’s satellite communications to safely control unmanned aerial vehicles from a central control hub.

This will enable Flylogix to move from local drone piloting at the airfield to centrally controlled operations, massively increasing the resilience of their services to offshore installations.

The Flylogix service reduces the cost, risk and environmental impact of gathering data from offshore exploration and production activities. [Read more…] about Flylogix and Cambridge Consultants to use Iridium’s satellites for drone platform

Oceaneering selected to ‘digitally’ transform Pacific Drilling’s global fleet

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Oceaneering International, Inc., and Pacific Drilling have entered into a five-year Digital Services Package agreement to provide Pacific’s customers with better reliability and improved throughput enabling streaming video and real-time data.

This will allow the provision of emerging services such as remote ROV piloting, surveying, and automation aboard Pacific Drilling’s high-specification drillship fleet.

As a result of these efforts, Pacific Drilling’s customers can benefit from higher security, increased access and management of third parties as well as new and expanded digital services.

[Read more…] about Oceaneering selected to ‘digitally’ transform Pacific Drilling’s global fleet

World’s first autonomous offshore robot tested in North Sea

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A four-legged robotic platform, ANYmal, has autonomously performed various inspection tasks in a one-week pilot installation on an offshore converter platform in the North Sea, making it the world’s first autonomous offshore robot.

The robot maker, ANYbotics, is partnering with TenneT, a Dutch-German transmission system operator, to evaluate robotic inspection and maintenance on offshore converter platforms. TenneT connects large-scale offshore wind farms to the onshore grid over a high-voltage DC connection.

In periods of unmanned platform operation, a mobile robot helps to reduce the risk of disruptions and ensures the security of the electricity supply.

[Read more…] about World’s first autonomous offshore robot tested in North Sea