The testing was part of the AIRTuB-ROMI (Automated Inspection and Repair of Wind Turbine Blades – Resident Offshore Monitoring & Inspection) initiative in the Netherlands, supported by the Dutch Ministry of Economic Affairs. The project focuses on developing automated and “resident” systems for monitoring and inspecting wind turbine blades.
As part of the effort, academic and industry partners are assessing three different sensor technologies embedded in turbine blades. When these sensors detect an anomaly, AI algorithms analyze the data to identify potential damage and its location. This triggers the automatic deployment of a drone – crawler from its offshore docking station within the wind farm to conduct a more detailed inspection.
“Once the drone takes off, it will autonomously capture high-resolution images of the blades from various angles. It will then land on the blade to perform an ultrasonic scan of the potentially damaged area, providing comprehensive data on the blade’s structural health. This detailed information allows the maintenance team to plan repairs as necessary,”
explained Tomas Jansen, product manager for O&M Automation at Vattenfall Offshore Wind in Germany.
Cargo drones are capable of transporting materials and equipment between service operation vessels (SOVs) and wind turbines, reducing the need for vessels to repeatedly travel back and forth. Un-crewed vessels and remote – controlled drones enhance safety during offshore inspections and contribute to more environmentally friendly operations.
“The innovation we demonstrated involved using UAVs for quick deliveries and pre-loading spare parts and tools to the turbine’s nacelle. This is especially valuable when unexpected parts are needed, enabling the on-site team to work more efficiently without waiting for a vessel, which helps minimize downtime and revenue loss,”
said Roddy Douglas, automation engineer at Vattenfall Offshore Wind in the UK, who participated in the tests at the DanTysk and Sandbank offshore wind farms.
For sites closer to the shore, cargo can be transported directly from the service center, where automated drones can deliver essential supplies even under challenging weather conditions.
Vattenfall noted that future advancements in AI will significantly enhance drone capabilities in offshore wind operations. With more sophisticated AI algorithms, drones could become even more autonomous, making independent decisions during complex inspections and early-stage damage detection, without human involvement.
“AI-equipped drones have the potential to free up valuable offshore working time. Considering the limited availability of skilled technicians in the offshore wind sector, this advantage is significant. For instance, drones could conduct recurring lightning protection tests on large wind farms, enabling technicians to focus on addressing specific issues identified by the drones,”
added Tomas Jansen.
Photo: Vattenfall
Source: 4C Offshore