Ørsted, the global leader in offshore wind energy, has made a significant leap forward by deploying Heavy Lift Cargo Drones (HLCD) for operational tasks at the Borssele 1&2 offshore wind farm. This pioneering move marks a crucial step in enhancing the efficiency and safety of offshore wind farm operations. The heavy lift cargo drones are being used to transport goods from a ship to all 94 turbines at Borssele 1&2.
Following successful tests with heavy lift cargo drones at the Hornsea 1 offshore wind farm in the UK last year, Ørsted is now using these drones in actual operations for the first time. These advanced drones, weighing 70 kg with a wingspan of 2.6 meters, can carry loads of up to 100 kg.
The drones are deployed to upgrade the evacuation and safety equipment for each turbine at the Borssele 1&2 wind farm. Traditionally, a ship would navigate from turbine to turbine, using a crane to lift each container of equipment onto the yellow transition piece. From there, the container would go up in the turbine’s lift to the nacelle, and then be hoisted to the nacelle roof. Instead, the drone flies directly from an offshore supply ship to the nacelle roof, taking about 4 minutes per turbine. The conventional method takes at least six hours. Ørsted has managed to complete the operation 10 to 15 times faster than usual.
Rasmus Errboe, Chief Commercial Officer and Deputy-CEO, commented, “Ørsted has helped offshore wind grow from a niche technology into a cost-competitive, large-scale source of green energy. We’ve achieved this by making significant leaps with new turbine models and continuously bringing innovative ideas from the drawing board to implementation. The use of these drones at Borssele 1&2 is another example of this. It contributes to improving safety, reducing CO2 emissions, and lowering operational costs.”
With the operational deployment of heavy lift cargo drones, Ørsted is setting a new standard in the sector. The company is actively seeking partnerships with leading cargo drone operators and service providers in the supply chain.
