Beam expects its new AI-powered Scout autonomous underwater vessel (AUV) to be ready for subsea inspection service at offshore wind farms next year.
The AUV is said to use AI to develop real-time 3D reconstructions and perform accurate navigation for inspections tasks, with minimal need for human intervention.
It was first demonstrated in September at SSE’s Seagreen wind farm in the UK North Sea in September.
Scout is designed to be self-driving and to perform inspections autonomously, reporting back at the end of a mission. Beam sees potential for direct deployments from crew transfer vessels (CTVs) during routine visits.
This, the company claims, should provide a wider pool of people capable of managing subsea maintenance of wind farms without the need for third-party services from dedicated inspection vessels.
According to Beam, Scout will also enable 4K 3D reconstructions, such as year-on-year site comparisons, providing insights into asset integrity and structural health. This, the company says, should minimize the need for reactive repairs and also cut long-term operational costs.
