RWE delivers cargo to wind turbines with autonomous drones

The energy company RWE has carried out more than 80 autonomous flights to wind turbines in offshore parks using Skyways transport drones via Skyports Drone Services. RWE announced this on Wednesday. During the independently executed long- and short-haul flights from land and from ships, up to 30 kg of cargo were transported per flight to the wind turbines. This can keep supply costs lower than with conventional transport by ship or helicopter. In addition, deliveries are faster.

Long-haul supply flights from land

As part of the pilot project, RWE conducted three test series. The project began in 2024. At that time, autonomous drones started from the port of Mukran on the island of Rügen to deliver components weighing up to 4 kg to the offshore substation of the Arkona wind farm.

In the most recent test series in September 2025, further autonomous drone flights were carried out there within three weeks. A drone from Skyways was used. It flew a predefined 40 km route from the port of Mukran to the Arkona offshore wind farm to drop off cargo weighing up to 10 kg. The drop-off was automated. The drone positioned itself independently over the nacelle of a wind turbine and released the cargo before starting its return flight to the port of Mukran. Skyports pilots monitored the entire process remotely.

The drone flight took less than 30 minutes per leg, which is less than half the time of conventional cargo deliveries by boat. The drone flights can be booked as needed, for example, to carry out time-critical deliveries of spare parts to the offshore park. In addition, the electric and gasoline-powered hybrid drones are more environmentally friendly than ships and helicopters.

Short-haul supply flights from ships

At the beginning of 2025, RWE also tested short-haul flights from supply vessels to wind turbines in the Nordsee Ost offshore wind farm. A purely electrically powered autonomous drone capable of transporting up to 100 kg was used. These short-haul drone deliveries are intended to help prevent overloading and long crane times at the facilities. Up to 1.5 hours of time can be saved per turbine approached, the tests have shown. This reduces the workload of the technical personnel. In addition, the fuel consumption of the ships is also reduced, making the delivery of materials by drones more environmentally friendly.

From RWE's perspective, the drone flights to offshore wind turbines have been so successful that regular operation is now being aimed for. To this end, the flights must now be scaled up. RWE is confident that faster and more flexible material transport can accelerate maintenance work, thereby increasing the availability of the turbines.

(olb)