Global renewable energy capacity is expected to reach 2,400 gigawatts by 2027. This is enough energy to power the whole of China! With this shift towards renewables, global efforts need to focus on supporting renewable energy producers to ensure they can manage the capacity required. Wind farms will play a pivotal role in the future of our energy and drones can play an invaluable role in driving wind power and delivering a more sustainable future.
Drones and sustainability is a particularly hot topic as businesses are realising that incorporating drone technology into their operations can significantly increase efficiency and reduce environmental impacts. With renewable energies including wind power becoming more commonplace due to our drive for a more sustainable world, it makes sense to ensure the processes and operations around them are sustainable too. Let’s explore how drones can contribute to the wind energy sector, particularly through wind turbine drone inspection.
Leveraging Drone Technology For Wind Turbine Inspection
Wind turbines are battered by the elements every day. They are subjected to weather, wind, dust, salt and many more naturally occurring particles which can impact their functionality. Turbine blades can and do get damaged over time and this will impact their operation. Regular wind turbine inspections are vital for the efficiency of any wind farm and common issues include cracks, corrosion and the loosening of connections between the turbine tower and blades over time.
Drone inspection services can be tailored for any industry, and they are particularly effective for wind turbines. The leading benefit of opting for drones is minimising the risk to worker safety. The sheer size and scale of wind turbines mean manual inspections are particularly dangerous for workers who have to climb and inspect each turbine for damage and maintenance purposes. Similarly, the wind turbines also need to be shut down for manual inspection while drone inspections can be accurately carried out while the turbines are still in operation.
High-Quality Inspection Data
Drones provide an extremely high-quality level of inspection data, as they provide high-resolution images of all aspects of the wind turbine for examination by maintenance specialists. They can take images of areas which are impossible for climbers to access and ensure that even the smallest defect is caught on camera and can be acted upon.
The quality of the imagery and data allows for planned maintenance to be scheduled with specific tasks in mind, removing the need for a drawn-out inspection period prior to maintenance activity.
FEDS is a drone services company in Dubai, providing drone technology solutions to many sectors including wind and renewable energy.
