Robosys Automation is spearheading Project ORACLES, a groundbreaking initiative poised to revolutionize the environmental monitoring process for offshore wind farms. Presently, data collection for environmental assessments at prospective offshore wind locations is a labor-intensive endeavor, involving multiple providers managing various tasks like bird monitoring and sea condition analysis. This manual data collection approach results in delayed decision-making as information is gathered and processed only upon reaching shore.
Through the utilization of advanced marine robotics, autonomous systems, and digital ocean technologies, Project ORACLES aims to streamline this process, ultimately assisting the industry in achieving the UK’s ambitious target of 60GW of offshore wind capacity by 2030. The collaborative consortium driving this project comprises ACUAOcean, MSEIS, Plymouth Marine Laboratories, and the Offshore Renewable Energy Catapult, all working in unison to usher in a new era of efficiency in environmental data collection.
Securing funding via the UK Research and Innovation Innovate UK Launchpad program aligns with the UK Government’s broader Levelling Up strategy, emphasizing the importance of innovation in advancing environmental monitoring practices. The 14-month research phase of Project ORACLES will focus on enhancing clean maritime solutions, featuring ACUA’s Unmanned Survey Vessel (USV) equipped with a suite of environmental sensors like eDNA, ADCP, and acoustics for real-time data acquisition on marine life, water quality, and environmental dynamics.
The project consortium will develop a dynamic positioning system and a BVLOS winch profiling system for water column data collection in conjunction with integrating multiple sensors to yield a novel and highly efficient output. Additionally, automated ballasting will be implemented to enhance operational capabilities. Robosys Automation is set to introduce a pioneering feature enabling the operation of multiple USVs from a centralized remote operations center, further optimizing data collection processes.
ACUA’s Pioneer USV, compliant with the Maritime and Coastguard Agency’s Workboat Code 3, stands as a testament to the vessel’s endurance and power, ensuring it meets the stringent operational requirements for offshore data collection. By facilitating the launch and retrieval of multiple environmental sensor payloads, Project ORACLES aims to generate comprehensive datasets that enhance the accuracy and effectiveness of environmental assessments. Continuous monitoring of marine life, water quality, and environmental changes from a single vessel promises heightened operational efficiency.
The anticipated outcomes of Project ORACLES include the ability to deploy substantial payloads, support USVs in challenging sea conditions over extended operational periods, and reduce overall capital, environmental, and operational costs. Noteworthy benefits include the minimization of CO2 emissions and environmental disturbances compared to conventional crewed vessels, thereby underscoring the project’s commitment to sustainability and innovation in offshore wind environmental monitoring.
- Utilizing advanced marine robotics, autonomous systems, and digital ocean technologies
- Enhancing environmental data collection efficiency and accuracy through multiple sensor integration
- Reducing operational costs, CO2 emissions, and environmental disturbances compared to traditional crewed vessels
- Pioneering remote operations capabilities for managing multiple USVs
Tags: automation, environmental monitoring
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