Robotics innovation transforms offshore wind farm inspection and safety

Background

As Ireland scales up offshore wind capacity, maintaining turbines in harsh marine environments is becoming increasingly challenging. Inspection, maintenance and repair (IMR) activities are essential for ensuring the long-term performance of wind farms, but they are often costly, weather-dependent, and hazardous for personnel. 

The “Robots for Wind Farms” project, led by Professor Daniel Toal at the University of Limerick and funded under the 2021 SEAI National Energy RD&D Programme, set out to address these challenges. The project focused on developing innovative robotic technologies that could safely and efficiently inspect offshore wind infrastructure while reducing the need for human intervention in dangerous conditions. 

The project

The project, which ran from January 2022 until December 2025, developed and tested an integrated robotic inspection system combining unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) and remotely operated underwater vehicles (ROVs). These systems were designed to work together, allowing inspection of wind turbines both above and below the waterline.  

A key innovation was the use of “blended autonomy”, where human operators work alongside intelligent robotic systems. This approach allows robots to carry out precise tasks such as hovering, positioning, and inspection, while still being guided remotely by human expertise when needed.  

The technologies were tested through a series of laboratory experiments, onshore trials, and offshore demonstrations in Ireland and Portugal. These trials showed that the robots could operate reliably in challenging environments, including high winds, strong currents, and dynamic offshore conditions.  

Results and key achievements

The project delivered a number of important outcomes for the offshore wind sector: 

• Developed a fully integrated UAV–ROV inspection system for wind farms 
• Demonstrated safe human–robot collaboration using cognitive control systems 
• Enabled high-precision inspections, including sub-centimetre accuracy for aerial systems 
• Proven operation in real offshore conditions, both above and below water 
• Reduced the need for human access to hazardous environments 
• Established potential to lower inspection costs and downtime 

The project also showed that robotic systems could improve the quality and consistency of data collected, supporting better decision-making for maintenance and asset management.  

Next steps

Following the successful trials, the next phase of work will focus on scaling and commercialising the technology. This includes further testing at operational wind farm sites, developing long-duration “resident” robotic systems, and integrating robotics into routine offshore operations. 

There is also strong potential to apply these technologies beyond offshore wind, including in sectors such as aquaculture, subsea infrastructure inspection, and other marine industries.