World’s First Heavy-Lift Cargo Drones Launched At Ørsted’s Borssele 1&2 Offshore Wind Farm

Ørsted, a global leader in offshore wind energy, has launched the world’s first operational campaign using heavy-lift cargo drones (HLCD) at the Borssele 1&2 Offshore Wind Farm.

The deployment of these 70kg drones, with a wingspan of 2.6 meters, represents a major advancement in the offshore wind industry.

The drones, capable of carrying up to 100kg of cargo, will help to speed up the transportation of crucial equipment to all 94 turbines at Borssele 1&2.

Previously tested at the Hornsea 1 Offshore Wind Farm in the UK, the drones are expected to revolutionize turbine maintenance and equipment updates.

Traditionally, transporting equipment was a time-consuming process in which a vessel would move from turbine to turbine using to crane to lift boxes of equipment onto the transition piece, then onto the nacelle, before reaching the turbine top, which could take over six hours.

The new drone system can complete the same task in about four minutes per turbine, drastically reducing operational time and costs.

Video Credits: Ørsted/Linkedin

Ørsted estimates that the drone system will speed up tasks at Borssele by 10-15 times compared to conventional methods.

Rasmus Errboe, Chief Commercial Officer and Deputy-CEO of Ørsted acknowledged the positive impact of this technology, stating that Ørsted has led offshore wind’s journey from a niche technology to a cost-competitive and large-scale source of renewable power.

The drones at Borssele 1&2 are a perfect example, as they will improve safety, reduce carbon emissions, and lower the cost of operating offshore wind farms. These improvements strengthen the commercial fundamentals of offshore wind for companies, governments, and investors.

The new drone technology offers both efficiency and safety. Drones help to reduce personnel danger and carbon emissions by decreasing the need for numerous ship journeys and preventing work disruptions that might otherwise require the shutdown of wind turbines.

Ørsted is seeking partnerships with leading cargo drone operators and service providers to help it further develop this technology.

Ørsted’s dedication to innovation goes beyond drones, with recent improvements in monopile installation technology and the deployment of autonomous vessels for offshore surveying.

Ørsted handles over 300 projects and interacts with over 50 universities and research institutes, using in-house R&D capabilities and a staff of science and engineering specialists.

Reference: Ørsted

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