iXblue Completes Remotely Operated Survey of French Offshore Wind Farm

iXblue recently completed the bathymetric survey of the Saint Nazaire offshore wind farm using its DriX Uncrewed Surface Vehicle (USV). Relying on 4G and satellite communication, the operation – located 20km off the west coast of France – was remotely conducted by the iXblue teams of surveyors from their remote control centre in La Ciotat, south-east France.

The purpose of the bathymetric survey inspection was to verify the seabed conditions before the deployment of Jan De Nul Group’s Vole au vent Offshore Jack-up Installation Vessel. Despite challenging offshore conditions, with strong winds and side currents, and an obstructed site, with around 70 monopiles already installed and several construction vessels mobilized on site, iXblue DriX USV, fitted with a Kongsberg EM2040 MBES, efficiently acquired accurate and high-resolution bathymetric data. The DriX USV conducted the survey without the need of a support vessel, relying on its situational awareness and obstacle avoidance system.

Replacing Traditional Survey Vessels

“We are pleased to have proven, once again, that the deployment of autonomous platforms is the way to go to deliver safe, carbon-neutral and efficient offshore surveys,” commented David Vincentelli, head of iXblue Sea Operations division. “From our experience deploying our DriX USV, we know that replacing traditional survey vessels with uncrewed platforms is key to delivering unmatched efficiency and data quality in complex environments such as offshore wind farms. We are very proud to be leading the way towards new remotely operated uncrewed operations, supporting our customers in this transition, and would like to thank Jan De Nul Group and EDF Renewables and its partners for their trust on this new project.”