Autonomous Underwater Swarm Robotics

Project Summary

Underwater, collaborative, smart, swarm robots for remote inspection and maintenance offshore. The more, compact, lightweight AUVs will have the capability of operating and interacting safely in autonomous modes in complex and cluttered environments. Phase 1 is to prove tether-less, visual inspection in confined space.

OUTCOMES

Moving towards remote operations enables predictive operations to take place over reactive operations which in turn supports the industry in achieving those targets. At a high level, it is possible to summarise the value to industry from a compact and affordable swarm of drones for subsea inspection as a 80% reduction in year on year expenditure due to the reduction of the costs associated with support vessels and traditional ROV/ AUVs. The value generation expected from a one-time technology deployment is £124.5k (80%) with a potential to deliver £424m annually across the UKCS assuming a 10% uptake within the industry.