Page 24 - NORWAY EXPORTS Maritime 2017-18

drones chart new waters offshore

In the future, drones could whizz around ports delivering cash
and medicines to ships and fi t into vessel surveyors’ pockets.

By Valeria Criscione

In 1995, Leif Johan Holand produced aerial international attention because of its Maritime applications
fi lming from helicopters for the Norwegian drones’ unparalleled payload capacity. So far, maritime applications for drones
TV, feature fi lm and advertising industry. In Japan, it will test the transport of have been mostly restricted to hull
He started to see that drones were 100-kilogram fi sh crates from small fi shing inspection and on-site draft surveys. This
increasingly taking a share of the market, boats over several kilometres to the local has more to do with the regulations than
when one of his partners in Griff Aviation islands. Griff is also collaborating with the technological limitations, according
asked him: why don’t we make one? So Spain and Dubai on testing drones that can to Marius Johansen, Wilhelmsen Ships
they did. carry over 300 kilograms. One customer in Agency vice president business solutions
the private security industry has even asked and marketing. It is more diffi cult to get the
Today his company is fl ying and testing if it can arrange an emergency evacuation necessary permits to fl y drones to boats,
unmanned aerial vehicles (UAV) that can fl y out of his home via drone. which operate in different locations, and
loads of more than 200 kg for both military especially in high-traffi cked port areas near
and civilian purposes, everything from fl ying “We always have these crazy ideas” said crowded cities.
for British troops in GPS blocked areas to Holand.
more effective spraying of fungicides on Still, the Norwegian shipping company
banana plants in the plantations of South Griff Aviation recently expanded into the believes there is a growing potential with
America round the clock. maritime sector with a strategic research last minute deliveries of small parcels
co-operation with the Northern Research to vessels via drones. The company
“They saw how the banana fl owers closed Institute (NORUT) in Tromsø. Started this successfully tested delivery of a one-
during hot periods of time,” said Holand. spring, Griff aims to test equipment on kilogram package during Nor Shipping in
“Drones don’t know if it’s day or night. UAVs for high-tech landings on platforms. Oslo this May together with a Norwegian
They said this will revolutionise the banana The company plans to build a new aerial drone operator and under the authorization
industry.” production factory at Bardufoss, the site of of the Norwegian Civil Aviation Authority.
Norway’s military airport, next year. The simulation demonstrated the delivery
Bigger payloads
Drones are used in many industries today.
Agriculture is one of the biggest markets,
according to Holand. His company also
services the government and energy
markets, such as wind turbines, oil and
gas installations, and power lines. The
Norwegian company recently scored a
contract to automatically de-ice the blades
on 1,000 windmills in Canada using a
tethered drone that cuts downtime.

However, Griff Aviation is garnering

Norwegian drone producer
Griff Aviation has developed UAVs capable
of lifting more than 300 kilograms.
© Griff Aviation

24