The drone system on the Aker BP-operated Edvard Grieg platform includes a drone docking station offshore and supporting infrastructure. Additionally, Aker Solutions developed software systems and established the onshore control room.
Overall, the package includes airspace and AIS monitoring, and two-way communication with the Helicopter Landing Officer aviation management.
“Aker BP's operational strategy is based on the assumption that robotics and drones will be an integral part of observation, inspection and task executions offshore,” said Thomas Øvretveit, director of operations at Aker BP. “These technologies will operate autonomously or remotely, either on site or from land.”
Joachim Hovland, head of Drones and Robotics, added, “We estimate that autonomous drones can reduce inspection costs by up to 70% and deliver detailed insights within hours—a process that traditionally takes days with manual drone operations."
Autonomous drones, supported by AI-powered analytics, can potentially perform frequent and highly accurate inspections, Aker Solutions explained. The drone takes consistent, precisely positioned images and videos, and can be used for regular monitoring of equipment over time.
This is said to enable faster detection of wear and corrosion, allowing maintenance to take place before problems emerge.
