An innovative unmanned survey craft has completed a maiden voyage off the UK to study the seabed at SSE Renewables’ 504MW Greater Gabbard wind farm, in the latest breakthrough for remote operations technology in the sector.
The car-sized XO-450 Unmanned Surface Vessel (USV), developed by marine technologist XOCEAN, carried out seabed surveys around seven of the Siemens Gamesa SWT-6.0-154s at the 140-turbine wind farm controlled 24/7, via a satellite connection, by a team at an onshore control centre.
