Saipem’s Underwater Drone Carries Out Autonomous Survey at Njord Field

Saipem's Hydrone-R (Credit: Saipem)

Saipem’s first resident underwater drone Hydrone-R has completed an autonomous survey mission over the Arctic coral area of the Njord field offshore Norway, operating without cables or surface vessel support.

Hydrone-R Underwater Intervention Drone carried out the mission independently, contributing to seabed monitoring and the protection of marine ecosystems through the use of underwater robotics.

The activity forms part of a 10-year contract signed in 2019 with Equinor, described as the first global service agreement for underwater drones in the offshore energy sector.

Under the contract, the drone performs inspections and interventions on subsea assets to provide data on potential hazards and support the integrity and safety of Equinor’s subsea systems.

Since entering service, Hydrone-R has logged more than 500 days of subsea residency, including remotely operated missions, and has achieved a continuous seabed residency record of 240 days. At the Njord field, the drone has carried out hundreds of missions without the use of support vessels, improving operational efficiency and enabling intervention work in challenging conditions.

At the end of 2025, the drone supported commissioning activities on a Njord well during sea states with wave heights of up to 12.5 meters, conditions in which traditional work-class remotely operated vehicles could not operate.

Saipem said the use of the resident drone has also contributed to reduced carbon dioxide emissions and improved personnel safety by limiting the need for surface vessel operations.