Pioneering autonomy in subsea inspections with Velella

Meet Floatgen demonstrator, a floating wind turbine

Since 2023, we’ve been proud participants in a groundbreaking R&D project aimed to prepare the deployment of floating wind farms under optimal economic, social, and environmental conditions.

The Velella project builds on the Floatgen demonstrator – built and operated by BW Ideol and located on the SEM-REV – to carry out all the necessary tests and samples on and around the floating foundation. This project, led by BW Ideol in partnership with Centrale Nantes, Fondation OPEN-C, ENSTA, Ifremer, and IVM Technologies, is composed of several innovative technological aspects.

Our involvement in the Velella project

IVM Technologies is actively involved in the monitoring and inspection of Floatgen’s mooring lines. We’ve developed innovative solutions, including continuous, real-time monitoring supported by algorithms capable of detecting abnormal movements, indicating potential major faults in the mooring line.

Future vision

This monitoring unit could send alerts whenever abnormal movements are detected, triggering the deployment of an autonomous ROV equipped with a photogrammetry unit. The ROV would then inspect the affected zone, collecting data to be sent to onshore teams. These teams would then decide if a diver intervention is necessary.

More steps are still ahead of us and we look forward to more operations at Floatgen, mainly for data collection and tests.

This project is part of our commitment to continuously improve and optimise subsea inspections, while exploring ways to automate and enhance operational workflows whenever it’s possible.