FlatFish is a hybrid, fully autonomous underwater inspection drone that has been developed as part of Saipem’s “Hydrone” underwater robotics programme.

Milan (Italy), - FlatFish, Saipem’s most advanced underwater inspection drone, has successfully completed a key phase under the contract awarded by Petrobras in 2023 for the development and testing of an autonomous robotic solution. These were Functional Acceptance Tests, executed in a controlled environment, aimed at verifying that all the functions required by the contract - from mission autonomy to data quality - meet the technical and operational standards established before deployment on the field.

Petrobras has granted approval to proceed 

Following the positive test results, Petrobras has granted approval to proceed with the final phase of the project, which involves the full implementation of the FlatFish technology in an ultra-deep offshore environment in Brazil.

Representatives from Petrobras were present at the testing campaign, which was held at Saipem's underwater drone testing facility in Trieste, Italy. The campaign showcased the full operational capabilities of FlatFish, achieving a significant advancement for the underwater robotics industry.

During the Tests campaign

During the Tests campaign, the drone successfully completed several fully autonomous inspection missions, including structure and pipeline inspections, cathodic protection measurements and wall-thickness assessments.

FlatFish is a hybrid, fully autonomous underwater inspection drone that has been developed as part of Saipem’s “Hydrone” underwater robotics programme. This programme aims to industrialise a family of underwater robots that can perform complex autonomous inspection tasks at depths of up to 3,000 metres.

Cutting-edge underwater robotics

.Saipem is committed to developing cutting-edge underwater robotics with applications ranging from very shallow to ultra-deep waters and from subsea resident to semi-resident deployment. This enables fully autonomous inspections.In this context, the long-term partnership with Petrobras is providing valuable contributions to the final development stages of a strategic capability in the offshore energy industry.

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About : .Saipem

Saipem is a global leader in the engineering and construction of major projects for the energy and infrastructure sectors, both onshore and offshore. Saipem is 'One Company' organised into the following business lines: Asset Based Services, Drilling, Sonsub, Energy Carriers, Offshore Wind and Sustainable Infrastructures

The company has five fabrication yards and an offshore fleet of 17 construction vessels and 12 drilling rigs, nine of which are owned. With a focus on technological innovation, Saipem's purpose is "Engineering for a sustainable future". Saipem is therefore committed to supporting its clients in their transition to Net Zero through increasingly digital means, technologies and processes geared towards environmental sustainability. Saipem is listed on the Milan Stock Exchange and operates in over 50 countries worldwide, employing approximately 30,000 people from over 130 different nationalities.

Source : Press - Release

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