DroneQ, Mark Offshore partner to deploy ROV, drone survey vessel for offshore work
(WO) — DroneQ Robotics and Mark Offshore have partnered to deploy the R/V Mintis as a dedicated offshore inspection and subsea survey vessel, expanding the use of robotics and drone technologies in offshore oil and gas operations.
Under the agreement, DroneQ will have exclusive rights to use the DP1 ROV support and survey vessel for its own projects, as well as work with Intertek and third-party clients. The vessel will support subsea inspection, construction and survey operations.
The partnership builds on an existing relationship between the two companies and reflects a broader push toward integrated offshore services that combine vessels, remotely operated vehicles (ROVs) and aerial drone systems.
R/V Mintis, managed by Mark Offshore for Lithuania’s Klaipėda University, is equipped for both shallow- and deepwater work and will carry multiple ROV systems capable of operating at depths up to 1,000 meters (about 3,280 feet), along with imaging, sonar and inspection tools. The vessel will also deploy offshore-capable drones for aerial inspections.
DroneQ said the vessel will be used for pipeline and cable surveys, subsea inspection, maintenance and environmental work.
“The partnership with Mark Offshore and this vessel is a big leap forward in the growth of DroneQ Robotics in general, and our Advanced Unmanned Robotics Services, AURS, proposition for the offshore market in particular,” said John Troch, co-founder of DroneQ Robotics. “The market is beginning to realize that Big, Bigger, Biggest is not always the best solution.”
Mark Offshore said the collaboration is already generating project activity.
“Due to our long-standing relationship with John, and our shared drive to deliver results, our cooperation already translated into a concrete project in the very first week of our commercial management of R/V Mintis,” said Mark van der Star, managing director of Mark Offshore. “This underlines our commitment: when shipowners partner with Mark Offshore, we don’t just manage vessels, we actively turn them into revenue-generating assets from day one.”
The deployment reflects increasing use of smaller, technology-driven offshore platforms to improve efficiency in inspection and survey work across oil and gas operations.
