Underwater inspections are critical to offshore wind farm operations. They help determine whether an area is suitable for development, gathering geophysical and geotechnical information. They also keep offshore wind monopiles, turbine jackets, and foundations safe and functional. Offshore wind farms are home to harsh aquatic conditions, including strong currents, tidal erosion, and marine growth. These elements cause offshore structures to corrode over time. By performing regular inspections, operators can identify damage and minimise its impact on operations. To this end, subsea robots have an important role to play.
Inspection-class underwater remotely operated vehicles (ROVs) are increasingly used for offshore wind applications, from preinstallation site surveys, foundation installations, and cable connections to field inspections and decommissioning. These underwater robots can perform visual inspections, cathodic protection readings for corrosion management, marine growth cleaning and removal, photogrammetry, 3D point cloud modeling, material thickness gauging, and laser imaging.
