Subsea technology specialist Rovco has successfully completed a £1m inspection contract using remotely operated vehicles (ROVs) and 3D vision systems at the newly constructed Galloper offshore wind farm.
The contract – awarded by Innogy Renewables UK – began in September and has completed a baseline asset integrity survey at the site, a 353MW installed capacity wind farm 30km off the coast of Suffolk.
Rovco carried out 24 -hour ROV operations over a four week period using state-of-the-art technology to inspect all 56 turbines at the farm.
The project used a Cougar XT ROV fitted with both 3D imaging sonar and “SubSLAM” 3D technology to complete planned asset inspection activities. A second ROV inspection campaign to assess internal foundations is due to be mobilised this month.
“This project demonstrates the future of offshore inspection,” said Rovco chief executive and founder Brian Allen. “Innogy is the first of our customers to complete a whole field 3D inspection. The data they’ve obtained will go a long way to assuring better asset integrity and knowledge of their infrastructure.”
Data for the project is being delivered via Rovco’s in house Data Command Centre, a proprietary software system which allows for the data collected to be combined and presented through an internet browser.
The platform allows clients to view survey data libraries, reports, videos and 3D point clouds, as well as to use tools to measure point-to-point distances, surface areas and volumes.
Rovco was formed in 2016 and has invested heavily in the development of real-time artificial intelligence and 3D vision systems for subsea robotics.