Offshore Surveys and Piracy Prevention with High Eye UAV Helicopter

High Eye, a Dutch UAV manufacturer, has developed the Airboxer, a vertical takeoff and landing UAV specifically for maritime use. It has a lifespan of up to three to four hours, which is much higher than standard electric drones, which have a maximum life of around 40 minutes. It is much lighter than unmanned helicopters, which weigh around 150-200 kg, but has more endurance than an electric multicopter drone.

It is attracting interest from Coast Guards, commercial shipping, and the offshore community. It has been proposed for use by oil tanker operators for piracy prevention by flying it 12 nautical miles in front of the ship, which provides a live video feed of potential security threats, allowing the captain to take evasive action. In the offshore wind sector, the drone can inspect offshore wind turbines, significantly reducing inspection times and improving safety. High Eye is already receiving orders for the Airboxer from an American research organisation and a drone center at Aalborg University in Denmark.

Tags: piracy,offshore wind,Europe,UAV


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