An Edinburgh-based subsea robotics startup is deploy its remotely operated underwater vehicles at an offshore wind simulation facility – paving the way for autonomous turbine inspections.
Frontier Robotics, which is based at the National Robotarium – the UK’s centre for robotics and AI at Heriot-Watt University – has developed advanced visual sensing and autonomy technology for subsea robots – which is now being commercialised.
The firm’s technology will be used by Offshore Renewable Energy (ORE) Catapult, the UK’s leading technology innovation centre for offshore renewables, at its centre in Blyth.
The company’s state-of-the-art camera can be mounted onto a remotely operated vehicle (ROV) to take true to life imagery of offshore assets such as wind turbines, and floating offshore wind platforms. These images are then incorporated into a virtual simulation to help create real-life scenarios.
Jonatan Scharff Willners, CEO of Frontier Robotics, said: “Offshore renewable asset inspection is a very challenging and hazardous task in the energy sector. With the UK’s ambitious offshore expansion plans, innovative systems that enhance safety and efficiency aren’t just beneficial – they’re essential.
“This sale to ORE Catapult is really important and helps demonstrate the value of our technology to the market. We’re grateful to the National Robotarium for their support. Being based there, we have access to world-class facilities and exceptional engineering talent and that has accelerated our development timeline.”
He added: “Our vision is to become the default autonomy provider for underwater inspections globally, transforming how the industry approaches maintenance and monitoring, and this sale is a major milestone in our journey to delivering that vision.”
The new technology addresses critical challenges for the UK’s offshore wind sector, where more than 2,600 turbines across 43 wind farms require up to three maintenance checks annually. These operations can account for up to 20% of total offshore wind emissions through vessel operations and helicopter transfers. Improved monitoring will enable operators to make faster, better-informed decisions about maintenance operations, reducing both costs and carbon footprint.
