Offshore Solutions Group (OSG) has appointed pioneering drone firm Flylogix to carry out digital aerial surveys for the proposed Moray FLOW-Park wet storage facility in the Moray Firth.
The appointment marks Flylogix’s first contract in the offshore renewable energy market, building on the firm’s established track record of supporting North Sea oil and gas operators to tackle their methane emissions.
Under the terms of the deal, Flylogix will deploy one of its state-of-the-art drones to review and map wildlife in the Moray Firth, work that will be central to securing responsible environmental consenting for the project.
The Moray FLOW-Park aims to provide temporary wet storage for floating offshore wind foundations, and this survey work underlines OSG’s commitment to developing the temporary wet storage facility for floating offshore wind foundations with as little impact on the natural ecosystem as feasibly possible.
Compared with existing monitoring methods for seabirds and wildlife, the use of Flylogix’s drones will reduce environmental impact through lower flight, transport and mobilisation emissions, and reduce potential wildlife disturbance thanks to lower platform noise. The approach will also significantly reduce project costs while adding a level of programme flexibility due to the ease of equipment mobilisation.
A trial integration drone flight, setting off from Cruden Bay, will collect information to be provided to NatureScot as part of OSG’s Environmental Impact Assessment submission for the Moray FLOW-Park.
An OSG spokesperson said: “Appointing Flylogix is an important milestone in bringing the Moray FLOW-Park to life, and reflects our commitment to developing this facility responsibly and sustainably.
“Robust environmental data is the foundation of any successful consenting process, and Flylogix’s drone technology allows us to gather that data while reducing cost, risk and disturbance to the marine environment.
“This is an innovative solution that has already delivered real value in the North Sea oil and gas sector, and we’re pleased to be bringing it into the floating offshore wind market for the first time.”