Air Inspect, an aerial inspection and survey specialist, has developed a new approach that can inspect all three wind turbine blades and deliver a report in about 60 minutes.
The company uses its expertise with camera-mounted unmanned aerial vehicles and combines it with image-recognition software and analytics developed specifically for wind turbines.
A two-man team of pilot and inspector use image sensors on an aerial platform to rapidly gather data on all three blades.
The data is uploaded to servers where damage-detection algorithms identify and assess subtle damage not easily detected by the unaided human eye including hidden cracks, foreign bodies, depositions of water, loose adhesive joints and uneven coating.
A report is automatically generated that can be directly exported to standard wind energy industry ERP, CMMS and Scada compatible systems.
With regular inspections the software tracks the condition of every blade and tower to build a true predictive map of wind farm health over time.
Air Inspect managing director Sam Livingstone said: “As more wind turbines are being built finding a safe, accurate and cost-effective alternative to manual inspections has become increasingly important.
“By combining our expertise in unmanned aerial systems with the latest advances in machine-vision and intelligent software analytics, we are able to offer the wind industry with the safest, most accurate and cost-effective solution in the market.”
Image: Morgue File
