ROVs and AUVs in support of marine renewable technologies

Abstract

This paper presents a discussion of the challenges involved in the support of offshore marine renewable technology installations and how recent developments in autonomous underwater vehicles (AUVs) and innovative remotely operated vehicles (ROVs) provide a unique technical solution to address those challenges. A description of Bluefin Robotics' AUVs is presented along with relevant data that show the effectiveness of the technology in these environments. Bluefin has recently partnered with Hawkes Ocean Technologies (HOT), and the paper provides a detailed description of the Hawkes Remotes line of low-footprint, high-speed ROVs that can similarly address the unique challenges of the offshore marine renewables market.