Partrac Expands Advanced V-LiDAR Fleet to Meet Offshore Wind Demand

Partrac is significantly increasing its V-LiDAR floating wind measurement fleet to meet rising international demand for safer and more reliable offshore data collection.

Developed in collaboration with fellow Venterra company Osbit, the V-LiDAR system was engineered to solve the persistent safety and operational reliability issues associated with legacy buoy designs. The technology features an ergonomic lifting arm designed to minimize manual handling risks during deployment and maintenance, alongside secure high-frequency data transfer capabilities. One of its primary technical advantages is an extended deployment capability of up to 20 months, which ranks among the longest durations currently available in the market. This longevity effectively reduces the frequency of required offshore interventions and service visits.

The industry has recently focused on the hazards of floating LiDAR operations, with the G+ Global Offshore Wind Health and Safety Organisation highlighting risks such as complex lifting procedures and frequent in-field maintenance. V-LiDAR utilizes a risk-led engineering approach to mitigate these factors, providing a robust solution for developers, lenders, and investors who require high-integrity wind measurement. This focus on safety recently earned the technology a spot as a finalist for the Technological Breakthrough of the Year at the IIRSM Risk Excellence Awards 2026.

Operational momentum is building as Partrac recently finished a pre-validation campaign for three V-LiDAR systems at the NOAH met mast facility in Blyth, UK. This testing verified performance and data quality ahead of a major offshore mobilization scheduled for this summer.

Sam Athey, Managing Director of Partrac, said, “We’re seeing strong demand for V-LiDAR and metocean measurements as developers look for safer, validated, deployment-ready solutions that can perform reliably in challenging offshore environments. We’ve recently commenced another pre-validation for three systems for an upcoming wind measurement campaign scheduled for deployment this summer. This demonstrates the depth of metocean, offshore engineering and operational experience brought together by Partrac and Osbit, and Venterra’s ability to support us in scaling the V-LiDAR fleet while maintaining the highest standards of data quality, safety and delivery.”

By leveraging Venterra’s group-wide engineering and governance standards, Partrac is positioned to scale its delivery of these floating solutions. The expansion ensures that as offshore wind projects move into more challenging environments, developers have access to validated technology that prioritizes both data precision and personnel safety.