Ørsted and Skyports Drone Services have completed a four-week cargo drone trial at the Hornsea 2 offshore wind farm in the North Sea, delivering maintenance kits weighing up to 65kg directly to active wind turbines.
The trial was Ørsted’s most complex offshore cargo drone operation to date and included the company’s first beyond visual line of sight (BVLOS) cargo delivery within the wind farm. The drone flew around 4km between a specialist service vessel and individual turbines, with flights planned, coordinated and monitored from the vessel.
The maintenance kits contained tools, spare parts and materials for specific turbine maintenance tasks. Following delivery, the drone collected the kits and returned them to the service vessel.
The trial also introduced an automatic hook system attached to the drone’s winch, removing the need for an operator to manually connect the cargo bag.
The trial was conducted within the UK Civil Aviation Authority (CAA)’s regulatory framework, with the CAA supporting the airspace approvals required for the operation.
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Image: Skyports Drone Services