Beam, a company created by the recent merger of Rovco and Vaarst, has deployed ‘the world’s first’ autonomous underwater vehicle (AUV) driven by artificial intelligence (AI) at Seagreen offshore wind farm in Scotland.
The AI-driven AUV has been used to inspect jacket structures on Seagreen wind farm, a joint venture partnership between SSE Renewables, TotalEnergies and PTTEP, in a commercial environment at Seagreen offshore wind farm.
By leveraging advanced AI, the technology can perform complex underwater tasks with no human intervention, boosting the efficiency and cost-effectiveness of underwater inspections and surveys.
According to Beam, the AI-driven way of working also reduces inspection timelines by up to 50%, which in turn cuts operational costs. The use of this technology provides other benefits by improving inspection data quality and enabling 3D reconstruction of assets alongside visual data.
Beam said it will be rolling out this new technology across its fleet of DP2 vessels, ROVs and AUVs throughout 2025 and 2026.
“We are very proud to have succeeded in deploying the world’s first autonomous underwater vehicle driven by AI. Automation can revolutionize how we carry out inspection and maintenance of offshore wind farms, helping to reduce both costs and timelines.
“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. This wouldn’t be possible without forward-thinking customers like SSE Renewables who are willing to go on the journey with us,” said Beam’s CEO, Brian Allen.
Seagreen has been operational since October 2023 and is the world’s deepest fixed bottom offshore wind farm. The data collected by Beam will be used to maintain operational reliability at the wind farm, providing insight into areas such as marine growth and any potential erosion at the foundations.
