Saipem is present at the OMC - MED Energy Conference & Exhibition in Ravenna, the most important energy event in the Mediterranean area, with Hydrone-W, its all-electric underwater drone.
Hydrone-W, approximately 3 meters long, almost 2 meters wide, 1.9 meters high, and weighing 4.2 tons, is positioned at the main entrance of the outdoor area of the Fair on a dedicated raised platform, where it will be visible to all visitors for the entire duration of the event from April 8 to 10, 2025.
Equipped with a remote-control system, it was designed by Saipem for the development and industrialization of underwater technologies and solutions for the maintenance and inspection of underwater plants and lifting loads of over 200 kg.
Hydrone-W is part of Saipem's Hydrone program, an innovative initiative that involves the design and industrialization of a fleet of underwater drones able to work at sea in complete autonomy up to 3,000 meters deep. These drones, thanks to the artificial intelligence, can perform complex inspection and intervention missions at sea. The fleet stands out for its ability to operate underwater for extended periods up to 12 months, alternating 12 hours of work with 12 hours of recharging thanks to charging stations positioned on the seabed.
The program includes three types of underwater drones: FlatFish specialized in wide-range inspection missions; Hydrone-R, specialized in local inspections and interventions; Hydrone-W, the most powerful version, used for critical operations such as closing emergency valves during well construction in case of anomalies.
Saipem is the only company in Italy that designs, produces, and operates underwater drones capable of performing both inspection and intervention activities, as well as surveillance operations, port protection, sea and biodiversity monitoring, seabed mapping, underwater system and component inspection, and maintenance of critical infrastructures such as gas pipelines.
The Hydrone program represents a turning point for the offshore energy sector, allowing cost and carbon footprint reduction while improving safety and operational efficiency. Thanks to key factors such as digital and artificial intelligence, the program can respond to the growing demand for autonomous and resident solutions expected in the coming years.
Saipem will dedicate two workshops to drone applications during the first day of the OMC event at the Presentation Hub both dedicated to low carbon solutions. The first one, titled "Energy Transition and Security: Technological Opportunities and Challenges," will take place from 4:30pm to 5:20 pm, featuring Vito Lacerenza, Head of the Submarine Department at the Navy General Staff of the Italian Navy; Stefano Tondini, Director of the Waste to Energy Division at Herambiente; and Mauro Piasere, Chief Operating Officer for Robotics and Industrialized Solutions at Saipem.
The second workshop, titled "COREu, A Flagship European CCS Initiative Leveraging Saipem’s Flow Modeling Expertise, Subsea Intelligent Technologies and Robotics," will take place from 5:30pm to 5:50 pm and will be dedicated to the European Community project COREu, in which Saipem participates also through the study of the application of its drones for CCS capture. The project will be illustrated by Annalisa Di Felice, Flow Assurance Lead and CCS Expert at Saipem, and Cristina Marras, Solution Manager Geoscience at Saipem.
