Beam presents AI-driven autonomous technology for underwater inspections
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Beam presents AI-driven autonomous technology for underwater inspections

Beam, a pioneering force in offshore wind services, has reached a landmark achievement by launching an AI-driven autonomous underwater vehicle (AUV). This advanced technology has already been deployed to inspect jacket structures at Seagreen wind farm – Scotland’s largest offshore wind project, developed in partnership with SSE Renewables, TotalEnergies and PTTEP.

Beam’s solution exemplifies how AI is reshaping marine technology and underwater robotics. Capable of conducting complex inspections without human intervention, the vehicle significantly enhances the efficiency and cost-effectiveness of underwater surveys and inspections.

Offshore wind site inspections have traditionally required manual, labour-intensive processes. Beam’s AI-powered vehicle offers a fully autonomous alternative, streaming data in real time directly to shore. This innovation allows offshore teams to focus on more complex tasks while reducing inspection timelines by up to 50%, ultimately driving down operational costs. Beyond efficiency, Beam’s technology delivers superior-quality data and facilitates 3D reconstructions of assets alongside visual inspections.

This deployment represents a pivotal moment in Beam’s autonomous technology roadmap. The company is set to extend this AI-driven solution across its fleet of DP2 vessels, ROVs and AUVs over 2025 and 2026, reflecting the company’s commitment to redefining offshore wind operations by increasing efficiency, reducing costs and advancing the global energy transition.

Towards faster inspection and maintenance of offshore wind farms

Brian Allen, CEO, Beam, stated: “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.”

Operational since October 2023, Seagreen is the world’s deepest fixed-bottom offshore wind farm. Beam’s project at the site has unlocked crucial insights into the application of autonomous technology for large-scale offshore wind structures. The AI-driven data collected by Beam’s vehicle will bolster ongoing operational reliability, providing critical information on areas such as marine growth and potential foundation erosion.

Beam has presented and already put into operation an AI-driven AUV, showcasing how automation can transform the inspection and maintenance of offshore wind farms, reducing both costs and timelines. (Image courtesy: Beam)

Matthew Henderson, technical asset manager – Substructure and Asset Lifecycle at SSE Renewables, emphasized the importance of this technology for the industry: “At SSE, we have a mantra that ‘if it’s not safe, we don’t do it.’ Beam’s technology demonstrates that autonomous inspections can reduce the personnel we need to send offshore for planned inspections, while speeding up planned works and collecting rich datasets to inform asset integrity planning. As we move further offshore, and into deeper waters, the ability to collect high-quality inspection data in a low-risk manner is imperative to us delivering our Net Zero Acceleration Programme.”

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