At the Ministry of Infrastructure and Water Management, a lot of work is done underwater: inspecting lock gates, conducting soil research, or performing ecological studies. Until now, this has often been done with divers, but this work is not without risk. A human does not have gills; an air hose can get stuck, or someone can become trapped under a lock gate.
Using the Underwater Drone is Safer
A promising alternative is the underwater drone. Such a robot can perform inspections without putting lives at risk. Even if something goes wrong, a defective ROV (Remote Operated Vehicle) will only cause material damage.
In early October 2025, an experiment will take place at Zeesluis Farmsum to test what underwater drones can do. The location is ideal because there are steel sheet piles, mooring facilities made of both steel and wood, a lock, and a transition to a canal bed. The area is also easily accessible from the shore.
Seven Companies
Seven companies will showcase their drones, for example, for measuring the thickness of sheet piles or for taking measurements on damping structures to slow down ships and thus prevent damage to the lock.
The experiment is part of the Insure project and is a joint project with TNO (Netherlands Organization for Applied Scientific Research) and the measurement service of the Ministry of Infrastructure and Water Management.
Robot Arm and Sensors
There are many different types of drones. Some have a robotic arm, others have propellers, but all are equipped with sensors. These are essential because visibility underwater is often poor. At Farmsum, it is only 30 cm: compare it to walking through a forest at night without a flashlight. Positioning underwater remains a challenge, as GPS does not work underwater. Various sensors such as infrared, sonar, lasers, or a lidar scanner hang under the ROVs.
What is Possible with Underwater Drones?
The experiment lasts three days and aims to show inspectors and companies what is possible. Many people in the profession still prefer to work in the traditional way, for example, by tapping bolts with a hammer to check their condition. By deploying drones, inspectors can work more efficiently.
The devices do not take over all tasks from divers but make the work easier and safer. A drone can first enter the water to map the situation so that the diver who follows already knows what it looks like underwater. This way, the investigation is conducted more thoroughly, and the chance of unpleasant surprises regarding the condition of a lock or bridge is reduced.
