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Saipem accelerates in subsea robotics
From the Hydrone-W full-electric intervention vehicle to the Hydrone-R and Flatfish resident drones, Saipem is developing autonomous solutions for working on, inspecting and monitoring subsea infrastructure. The aim is to reduce costs, risks and reliance on support vessels.
- The Hydrone-W electric robot combines power and versatility for subsea interventions.
- The Hydrone-R is designed for long-term inspection and monitoring of subsea infrastructure.
- The Flatfish executes autonomous inspections and adapts its trajectory to detect potential anomalies.
© Saipem
Cutting operating costs, mitigating risks and reducing response times: underwater drones are opening new horizons for offshore operations. With its Hydrone platform, Italian company Saipem aims to move past the traditional model of deploying a subsea robot from a support vessel for each individual mission. Its Hydrone-W, Hydrone-R and Flatfish drones address distinct operational needs, ranging from subsea intervention to long-term inspection and monitoring. Some models can remain submerged for several months, utilising subsea docking stations that handle both recharging and data transfer.
Hydrone-W: combining electric power and versatility
The fully electric Hydrone-W offers a continuous power output of 200hp and can carry a payload of up to 300kg. More compact than conventional hydraulic work-class remotely operated vehicles (ROVs), it integrates more easily onto vessels with limited deck space, particularly those equipped with a moonpool. Its all-electric architecture eliminates the risk of hydraulic fluid leaks in sensitive environments, while still allowing the integration of an auxiliary hydraulic unit to power conventional tools.
“The vehicle remains versatile enough to incorporate traditional equipment when operations demand it,” notes Francesco Cavallini, Global Commercial Director for Saipem’s Subsea Technologies and Services activities.
The Hydrone-W is also designed to progressively integrate AI capabilities. Inheriting developments from the Hydrone platform, it features advanced sensors and navigation assistance functions, including dynamic positioning, route planning and pipeline tracking. Its compatibility with onboard technologies used across other drones in the fleet is expected to streamline the integration of additional features, notably leak detection on critical subsea infrastructure.
Fewer vessels, greater subsea autonomy
With the Hydrone-R and Flatfish, Saipem is pushing the boundaries of underwater robotics by developing systems capable of long-term subsea residency. The experience gained with the Hydrone-R under its contract with Equinor — which started operations in mid-2023 — marks a major milestone. Notably, the programme recorded a continuous eight-month subsea deployment without maintenance intervention, while one resident drone exceeded two years of operational service.
These milestones demonstrate the potential of an architecture where the robot remains on-site permanently, rather than being launched from a vessel for each intervention. A subsea docking station enables charging and data exchange, making access to power and subsea communications a critical pillar of the system.
The economic benefits are especially pronounced when inspections are frequent. According to Francesco Cavallini, “the resident solution can offer a cost differential of at least an order of magnitude compared to the daily use of a conventional vessel.” Beyond operational expenditures, this architecture reduces weather dependency and eliminates a significant portion of the logistical constraints tied to mobilising and demobilising naval assets. The permanent on-site presence of the drone also shortens response times when rapid intervention becomes necessary.
Smart autonomy
The Hydrone-R and Flatfish can execute autonomous inspections along predefined routes, but they can also adapt their missions when an anomaly is detected. For instance, if a pipeline leak is suspected, the drone can alter its initial route to pinpoint the source. The same principle applies to other infrastructure, such as power cables or fibre optic links. Both systems are capable of navigating complex trajectories between defined waypoints across both horizontal and vertical planes.
Even in the short term, the capabilities offered by Saipem pave the way for a true, permanent subsea robotic infrastructure. Base stations can be positioned near assets earmarked for monitoring or at strategic points, allowing drones to be deployed as required. Consequently, potential applications extend far beyond the offshore energy sector alone, including the continuous surveillance of subsea cables, transport networks and other sensitive infrastructure
- Linda Verhaeghe
