Until now, the unpredictable nature of waves, which prevent machines from remaining stable and making precise movements, has limited the use of robots for servicing offshore platforms.

Stationing autonomous robots offshore to perform routine maintenance would reduce the cost of producing renewable energy, which is typically much higher than using fossil fuels, the team says.

It could also simplify operations – which may currently involve ships and helicopters or lifting equipment out of the water – and eliminate the need for people to work in hazardous environments.

Engineers from the University of Edinburgh have developed new computational and experimental tools to enable autonomous robots to maintain a stable position amid irregular and choppy waves.

The researchers tested their system in the university’s FloWave test tank, using wave data captured by a buoy in the North Sea to mimic the types of conditions the robots might work in.

Wave sensing devices are attached to the seabed and measure the direction and height of incoming waves, transmitting the information in real time to a robot working nearby. This allows the unmanned machine to anticipate future complex water disturbances, precisely counteracting them to maintain a stable position.

The results indicate that the system is compatible with robots operating near the surface and those working at greater depths, where disturbances can still be strongly felt.

According to the team, the new technology improves conventional control systems, which operate in a corrective manner. These tend to respond slowly to rapidly changing ocean disturbances, making them much less reliable in such dangerous environments.

Dr Kyle Walker, who developed this work as part of his PhD at the University of Edinburgh, said: “A major limitation at present is the ability of robots to effectively perceive and counteract environmental disturbances. , which fundamentally restricts the current use of small underwater vehicles. By predicting future wave disturbances and integrating them into the control system, we are able to extend this range with little or no modification to the robot hardware.

“In terms of translating this technology to the field, this represents a huge advantage and makes our system applicable to most vehicles currently available on the market.”

Future research aims to improve the ability of autonomous machines to perform precise tasks, such as using robotic arms to detect rust or repair electrical equipment, while maintaining a stable position in water.

The study, published in the International Journal of Robotics Researchreceived funding from the Engineering and Physical Sciences Research Council.

The work was a continuation of the now completed ORCA Hub project, an initiative to support the green energy transition led by Heriot-Watt University and the University of Edinburgh.

Dr Francesco Giorgio-Serchi, from the University of Edinburgh’s School of Engineering, who led the study, said: “The increase in the use of autonomous robots to help maintain renewable installations offshore could have a transformative effect on reducing the cost of producing clean energy. This technology could further contribute to a step change in the adoption of unmanned robots at sea and significantly increase the degree of automation in the offshore sector.