Offshore Wind - Robotics Field Trip
13 July 2026
AI, robotics and autonomous systems are becoming increasingly relevant to offshore wind. But what do these technologies actually look like in practice?
Join the OWI-Lab Academy and Offshore For Sure on 12 October 2026 for an afternoon combining short introductions, research examples and a field trip to companies working with robotics and autonomous technologies in the complex offshore environment.
We’ll start with a brief introduction to the topic, including Howest’s new research line on Physical AI - the combination of AI, sensors and robotics to enable intelligent interaction with the physical world. We’ll also look at examples from offshore wind, including drone-based blade inspection through the BLEEPID project and the AI4Blades Challenge.
Then we head out for the Robotics Field Trip in the port of Ostend, visiting:
C-Spect – remote and robotic inspection of offshore assets, including ROV technology.
VLIZ Marine Robotics Centre – autonomous and remotely operated marine systems, including AUVs, USVs, ROVs and gliders.
GEOxyz – uncrewed offshore wind vessels and autonomous maritime data acquisition.
The afternoon is an accessible introduction to AI and robotics in offshore wind, with the emphasis on seeing the technologies and their applications in real life.
Programme
12:00 – Lunch
12:45 – Introduction to Offshore For Sure & OWI-Lab Academy
13:00 – Physical AI at Howest
13:30 – AI & robotics in offshore settings, incl. BLEEPID & AI4Blades
14:30 – Robotics Field Trip
17:00 – End
Practical information
📅 12 October 2026
📍 InnovOcean Campus, Jacobsenstraat 1, Oostende
🍴 Lunch included
🚌 Transport during the field trip included
Getting there
The InnovOcean Campus is easily accessible by public transport. From Oostende railway station, take the coastal tram towards Knokke and get off at Vismijn (approx. 5 min). From there, it’s about a 5 minute walk to the campus via Hendrik Baelskaai and Jacobsenstraat.
Who can join?
Participation is free for any researchers from Belgian knowledge institutes working on offshore wind research.
How to register
Participation is free, but registration is mandatory. Please register here: