Mike Passaretti

Program Manager - Aerial Services

ULC Robotics

Mike Passaretti is the Program Manager of ULC Robotics' Unmanned Aerial Service division. Mr. Passaretti is responsible for leading ULC's newest division, whose goal is to routinely operate unmanned aircraft, including BVLOS and other non-standard operations, so that ULC can provide aerial services to its growing utility and industrial customer base.

Before taking lead of the Aerial Services division, he led ULC Robotics' development of the CIRRIS XI™ and CIRRIS XR™ robots, which were funded by the UK government through a four year $10M USD contract. These robotic systems utilize custom developed sensor technologies to assess large diameter cast iron mains for wall loss, corrosion and stress and renew leak prone joints.

Prior to ULC Robotics, Mr. Passaretti was the Manager of the Robotics and Automaton Technology Group for Honeybee Robotics where he was instrumental in the development of robotic systems for two unmanned NASA Mars missions: Mars Phoenix Lander and the Curiosity Rover. He also oversaw the execution of robotics projects for clients such as the U.S. Department of Defense (DOD) and the Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency (DARPA).

Offshore wind farm developments are geographically positioned with great care to optimize the amount of energy that can be harvested. However, their locations and inherent designs make them challenging to access and maintain. As existing wind farms require maintenance, and new ones come on online, the growing demand to maintain these difficult to access critical assets can only increase. The hazardous nature of the environments created by these installations create a compelling case for introducing autonomous robotic systems to increase safety, reduce costs and mitigate dependency on fair weather conditions to perform routine service. The fledgling role of unmanned systems—drones (UAVs), drone ships, blade crawlers, unmanned surface and submersible systems—and the opportunities they might create will be explored in this talk.

Presentation: Autonomous Systems In Offshore Wind Construction And Maintenance