Nordic Unmanned awarded breakthrough offshore logistics contract with Equinor

December 22nd 2021 – Sandnes, Norway – Nordic Unmanned has been awarded a contract with Equinor for offshore drone services on the Norwegian Continental Shelf. Fully utilized, the contract value is EUR 2.7 million including options over the next 12 months with immediate start-up 3 January 2022. The award represents one of the largest drone logistics contracts awarded in the European market & is the largest & most ambitious drone logistics award in the offshore energy industry.

The award follows on from the August 2020 flight conducted for Equinor, when Nordic Unmanned made drone history by performing cargo delivery from shore to the Troll A platform, as well as a comprehensive study performed during 2021, as announced to the market on January 21st, 2021.

Following a successful initial onshore preparation & flight period in the first & second quarters, it is expected that the offshore demonstration period will be initiated in the third quarter of 2022 with anticipated completion in the fourth quarter.

The offshore scope involves cargo flights between a supply base & the Gullfaks field, located 170 km offshore, as well as establishing daily flights within 30 km between offshore installations & vessels in the Tampen area. The project includes usage of autonomous take-off & landing systems & integration into the Avinor-provided unmanned traffic management (UTM) system.

In addition to conducting daily multipoint cargo deliveries, Nordic Unmanned will demonstrate search & rescue capabilities, inspection services & deployment of subsea unmanned intervention device (UID).

Flights will be conducted with Nordic Unmanned’s newest Schiebel Camcopter S-100 & Nordic Unmanned’s proprietary Staaker BG-class drones with dual delivery winch systems.

We have a long-standing relationship with Equinor, & we’re very excited to announce the largest drone logistics contract in Europe. We are confident that this will change how the global offshore energy industry will integrate industrial air mobility going forward. Use of drones will increase efficiency & contribute to reduced CO2 emissions, & Nordic Unmanned is preparing for drone logistics to be in regular use in this industry from 2023.

The contract is fully aligned with Nordic Unmanned’s new strategy for the logistics market vertical, focusing on time-critical high-value goods for “business to business” & “business to government” clients. The services under this contract will be delivered by Nordic Unmanned Cargo in close collaboration with subcontractors, Schiebel Aircraft, Airbus, & Planck Aerosystems.

We expect logistics to be a major growth driver for the drone market in the years to come, & this contract lets us showcase our capabilities. Proving our ability to operate our drones safely in the challenging conditions of the North Sea, the scope of this contract will be a verification of Nordic Unmanned having the capacity to deliver such services anywhere. Harsh weather conditions & very busy airspace require first class operational & regulatory expertise

In the near future, Nordic Unmanned will host an investor webcast presentation with Q&A, particularly focused on the logistics segment. Further details will soon be announced.