Machine Learning and AI Business Collaborates with Offshore Renewable Energy Catapult and CAE to Simulate Aerial Deployment of Robotics on Windfarms
Nottingham-based Cognitive Business, a leading innovator specializing in machine learning and applied AI in the energy sector, has successfully partnered with the Offshore Renewable Energy Catapult (OREC) and global simulation technology company, CAE, to develop a proof of concept for simulating the aerial deployment of robotics on offshore windfarms. This collaboration is part of the DOME Project (Digital Operations and Maintenance Environment), a consortium focused on building an open simulation platform to test and validate complex system interactions.
Innovate UK and OREC, along with industry partners, are leading the charge towards a Green Industrial Revolution by investing in clean technologies. This collaborative effort has set an objective of quadrupling offshore wind capacity by 2030, with a focus on utilizing wind energy.
Cognitive and CAE worked together to provide test and validation for the aerial deployment of robotic technology offshore using DOME. The simulation involved modeling and calibrating three-dimensional winds based on known offshore wind farm parameters. By incorporating wind, asset, and environmental interactions, the simulation achieved highly accurate and realistic flight conditions. The digital environment allowed for the testing and validation of a 4-prop aerial drone carrying a 25kg maintenance and inspection robot in winds up to 10m/s.
Bringing their subject matter expertise and experience to the project, Cognitive collaborated with CAE to accurately model the wind farm and create a control-room-ready system that interfaced with the cloud-based simulation.
Ty Burridge Oakland, Managing Director at Cognitive Business, expressed enthusiasm about being part of the DOME consortium and working in collaboration with CAE. The proof of concept simulation has successfully demonstrated the aerial deployment of robotics on windfarms and serves as a foundation for further expansion of the DOME project in the next funding round.
David Bentley, Managing Director of CAE (UK) plc and CAE ATS plc, highlighted how the collaboration with Cognitive Business leveraged CAE’s expertise in synthetic environments, autonomous drones, and computational fluid dynamics. The resulting digital twin showcased the potential of using virtual environments to test innovative approaches and support the growth of offshore renewable energy.
Cognitive Business, established in 2018, is at the forefront of machine learning and applied AI, developing various decision support, performance monitoring, and predictive maintenance solutions for energy operations and maintenance applications.
In conclusion, Cognitive Business, in collaboration with OREC and CAE, has successfully utilized machine learning and AI to simulate the aerial deployment of robotics on offshore windfarms. This proof of concept paves the way for advancements in the DOME Project, contributing to the growth of offshore renewable energy and the realization of a Green Industrial Revolution.
