Autonomous docking and inspection capabilities
The newest addition to the University of Limerick CRIS’s infrastructures and equipment is the MRE ROV Étaín – a light weight work class ROV. The ROV was commissioned in Q2 2018 and is controlled using UL’s OceanRINGS navigation suite with advanced onboard navigations suite. This talk centers around the first year of operations for the MRE ROV and discusses the technological developments ongoing within the UL research lab. The ROV developments specifically target operations in high energy sites such as offshore wind, with a focus to extend operational weather windows. The discussion also centers on technologies for resident robotics systems such as autonomous intervention, live 3D reconstructions, autonomous docking and advanced imaging systems. Test results are from ship based operations off the Irish coast on a number of sites varying from Shipwreck to Coral Grounds and Oil & Gas infrastructure.