Cargo Drones
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Ampelmann has completed a six-week cargo drone campaign at RWE’s 857 MW Triton Knoll offshore wind farm in the UK, moving more than nine tonnes of equipment across 250 flights.
Carried out between August and September, the campaign supported RWE as it evaluates integrating cargo drones into its service operation vessel (SOV) logistics framework prior to taking over full maintenance responsibilities for Triton Knoll in 2027. Drones were deployed to transfer tools, maintenance parts, and safety equipment between the SOV and the wind turbines.
The aerial logistics system can deliver and retrieve loads of up to 80 kilogrammes directly to and from the nacelle and main access platform using an automated pick-up mechanism. Drones were used to pre-load turbines with equipment before technicians arrived at their worksites, while tools and cargo were retrieved remotely after maintenance activities concluded.
According to Ampelmann, adopting drone services minimizes conventional crane lifts and vessel movements while expanding the time technicians spend on core maintenance tasks.
“By working into the night, we can turn vessel idle time directly into productive lifting work. We can also deliver and retrieve cargo remotely from operating turbines, allowing power generation to continue while we conduct our operations. In addition to reducing vessel movements, crane lifts and manual cargo handling, we increase the effective tool time of technicians by 15 to 20%,” said Thijs van ’t Geloof, Business Developer at Ampelmann.
Ampelmann has been developing its cargo drone services since launching them in 2024. The current operational setup features flight-control software for automated flights between an SOV and turbine, with supervising pilots monitoring operations to intervene when necessary. The company has also automated the cargo pick-up sequence by integrating the drone, winch, and pick-up hook.
The Triton Knoll campaign builds upon earlier trials conducted by Ampelmann and RWE. In 2025, Ampelmann supported short-range cargo drone trials at RWE’s 295 MW Nordsee Ost offshore wind farm in Germany, transferring payloads of up to 30 kilogrammes from an SOV to turbines. RWE subsequently completed over 80 cargo drone flights across Nordsee Ost and its 385 MW Arkona wind farm as part of a broader drone programme.
