Saipem is showcasing its FlatFish autonomous underwater drone at Offshore Northern Seas (ONS) 2026 in Norway, where the technology is being presented as part of the company’s growing subsea robotics portfolio.
The company’s August 24 release said FlatFish is designed to carry out fully autonomous inspection missions at depths of up to 3,000 meters. A working unit is on display at Saipem’s booth during the event, which brings together companies from the oil and gas and renewable energy sectors.
FlatFish is part of Saipem’s Hydrone program, an ecosystem of subsea drones that uses artificial intelligence to perform complex missions on the seabed. The systems can operate continuously for up to 12 months by alternating between inspection missions and recharging at subsea docking stations.
Saipem adds ‘FlatFish’ underwater drone to boost monitoring, automatic inspections | OilNOW
The company is also presenting its Hydrone-R drone, which is designed for inspection and intervention work and has been operating offshore Norway for several years.
“This technology helps optimize costs, safety, and efficiency of offshore operations, while reducing the use of support vessels and the associated CO₂ (carbon dioxide) emissions,” the company stated.
Alongside the subsea technologies, Saipem is displaying a scale model of the Scarabeo 8 semi-submersible drilling vessel. The rig currently supports Aker BP’s offshore operations in Norway and is designed to operate year-round in harsh conditions, including the Barents Sea.
Scarabeo 8 can operate at different water depths using either dynamic positioning or anchoring. Its design also follows the “Zero Discharge” principle, aimed at eliminating discharges into the sea during operations.
ONS 2026 is being held in Norway from August 24-27. According to organizers, the event brings together over 70,000 visitors, 1,100 exhibitors, and 1,150 speakers from more than 100 countries, providing a platform for discussions on energy, climate, geopolitics, and technological innovation. Saipem is using the event to demonstrate technologies aimed at increasing the efficiency, safety, and environmental performance of offshore operations.
