Drone submarines will be sent to offshore wind farms: what will change because of this

Loggerhead devices will be used to service wind turbines, replacing surface ships that pollute the environment.

The British company HonuWorx, which specializes in marine technology, intends to deploy a fleet of 50 Loggerhead robotic submarines to work at energy facilities, including offshore wind farms, thus reducing emissions into the environment. This is reported by Recharge magazine.

The remotely controlled devices will be launched from an automated submarine-“mothership” and controlled from shore. It is expected that underwater drones will eliminate the need for fossil fuel-powered vessels, reducing carbon dioxide emissions into the atmosphere during operations at offshore energy facilities.

According to the publication, the manufacturing company hopes to put 10 such systems into operation by 2030 and 50 in the longer term.

The official website of HonuWorx states that the Loggerhead is an all-electric “mothership” underwater vehicle that transports and deploys worker robots in remote locations for underwater inspection and maintenance of energy facilities. The basis of communication and control for Loggerhead is the HonuNet system.

The company claims that this innovative drone eliminates the need for a marine crew, eliminates carbon emissions and reduces the cost of collecting data needed for decision-making. Another advantage is year-round maintenance, as the system is not affected by the irregularities of the ocean surface.