AI-enabled ROV ops chart deeper offshore pathways for wind industry work 

Underwater solutions company SMD has teamed up with UK-headquartered tech player Beam to deploy AI-powered autonomous vehicles for offshore wind operations using Beam’s software. The collaboration aims to boost efficiency in offshore wind farm maintenance by combining advanced subsea technologies.

According to SMD, Beam has acquired the company’s Quantum EV, a remotely operated vehicle (ROV), to integrate its subsea perception system, SubSLAM, which runs on Beam’s Pathfinder software. This setup is said to enable autonomous piloting in deep, high-current offshore environments.

“We are delighted to collaborate with Beam, a company that shares our future focus and passion for innovation,” said John McCann, SMD’s ROV Sales and Business Development Manager.

“SubSLAM’S real-time 3D mapping, data collection, and image capture capabilities represent a huge step towards fully autonomous ROV operations. When mounted to a powerful, steady vehicle like the Quantum EV, these capabilities are unlocked in even deeper waters.”

Simon Adams, Beam’s Program Director, noted that the partnership with SMD reflects the company’s dedication to adopting the technology to enhance service quality and promote renewable energy growth. He added that shifting to autonomous vehicles for inspection and maintenance reduces operational expenses, boosts efficiency, and lowers manpower requirements.

With its enhanced stability and ability to operate in high-current environments, the company noted that SMD’s Quantum EV is set to play an important role in this project. 

Adams added, “With SMD’s Quantum EV offering superior stability and position-keeping during high-current operations, we can now take our Pathfinder software and SubSLAM to even harsher environments, autonomously servicing a wider range of offshore wind farms.”

Marc Coull, Program Director for Service Innovation at Beam, described SMD’s Quantum EV as the ideal platform for advancing their deep-sea operations, highlighting its payload capacity, additional space for intervention tools, as well as its speed and power. 

In September 2024, Beam, formed by the merger of Rovco and Vaarst, developed and deployed a new innovative technology offering, said to be the world’s first autonomous underwater vehicle (AUV) driven by artificial intelligence (AI).