Wind and water: undersea drone readies to aid offshore boom

An underwater drone has been designed to take over inspections of offshore wind farms. — AFP

EDINBURGH: In a wave tank at a robot laboratory in the Scottish capital Edinburgh, engineers observe in silence as an underwater drone rises stealthily to the surface.

The team, which led the development of the remotely operated vehicle (ROV) at Heriot-Watt university, believe the submersible machine is a game-changer for offshore wind farms, obviating the need for divers.