Ørsted is trialling the use of autonomous giant drones to transport cargo to its offshore wind turbines.
The company has previously used smaller drones in other countries, but in the UK it has now stepped up the option to use drones that can transport cargo of up to 68kg. The drones themselves weigh 58kg and at 2.6m they have the wingspan of an albatross.
Ørsted will use of the drones to deliver cargo to its Hornsea 1 wind farm, reducing costs and delivery time as well as improving operational safety and efficiency. Operated from existing crew transfer vessels and service operating vessels, which are already on site, drones mean less work disturbance, as turbines do not have to be shut down when cargo is delivered. They reduce risk, making it safer for personnel working on the wind farm, and they minimise the need for multiple journeys by ship, reducing carbon emissions and climate change impacts.

Ørsted has used smaller drones for some time with much lighter loads and says it is now leading the industry in deployment on a larger scale. The company is actively seeking partnerships with the best drone cargo operators and services providers to help grow the supply chain in the UK.

Mikkel Haugaard Windolf, who is heading the project for Ørsted’s offshore logistics team, said: “At Ørsted we want to use our industry leading position to help push forward innovations that reduce costs and maximise efficiency and safety in the offshore wind sector. Drone cargo delivery is an important step in that direction.
“We believe the UK can be the first country to commercialise this system in offshore wind farms, acting as global leaders.”