Skyways Completes First Autonomous Long-Range Offshore Wind Turbine Refueling Mission in Germany
13 Nov 2025
Germany – November 2025. Skyways achieved a milestone in unmanned aviation by successfully completing the first autonomous long-range offshore wind turbine refueling mission at the Arkona wind farm, operated by RWE, marking a significant advancement in air logistics for maritime operations.
For three weeks, the company executed BVLOS (Beyond Visual Line of Sight) cargo deliveries between land and the turbines, making automated round trips of approximately 50 miles and transporting payloads of up to 22 pounds in wind conditions of up to 29.7 knots.
The operation was conducted autonomously by Skyports Drone Services, with minimal Skyways personnel on site, demonstrating the operational maturity and transferability of its systems beyond simple prototype testing. This result validates that Skyways’ training, documentation, and aircraft systems enable customers to operate independently and with confidence.
The results demonstrate unprecedented logistical efficiency: transfers from land to turbine were completed in 26 minutes, compared to the approximately 2 hours required by crew transfer vessels, reducing downtime and improving maritime maintenance safety.
The in-house SkyNav system modeled and validated approach and side-evasion maneuvers, optimizing flight plans and allowing for software updates within 48 hours in response to unforeseen weather changes.
Skyways leveraged eight years of real-world flight data to fine-tune parameters and extend operational margins, solidifying its position as a leader in automated air logistics for renewable energy.
The mission utilized the eVTOL V2 hybrid platform, with an operational range of 450-500 miles and a payload capacity of 30 pounds. The next generation, V3, will extend its range to over 1,000 miles and a payload of 100 pounds, opening new routes for island, maritime, and base-to-base logistics.
Source and Credits to Skyways
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