Drone-delivered robots for smart wind turbine repair

Could the customisable system transform the maintenance of wind farms?

Spotted: The Global Wind Energy Council reports that a record 117 gigawatts of new capacity were installed around the world in 2023, an indicator of “a new era of accelerated growth.” As more hardware is installed, accompanying maintenance plans also grow, in both complexity and size. And offshore wind farms have a variety of location-specific challenges.

In response, Danish technology company REBLADE has created a drone-delivered miniature repair factory. The company’s robotic blade repair solutions are plug-and-play for maintenance crews, allowing teams to instruct and monitor projects from the ground. REBLADE uses the phrase “we replace ropes with remotes” to explain its new maintenance approach.

Repair teams no longer need to climb the turbines before, during, or after repairs. REBLADE’s robots provide erosion repairs with a robot for each activity, from cleaning and grinding to coating and painting the leading edge of turbine blades. The drone-delivered repair system is customisable, with each module able to deliver tasks and products specific to each client’s preferences and needs.

The robots are extremely fast and efficient, with service teams completing repairs on two full turbines in one day. Built to withstand a variety of weather conditions, the robots work easily in remote locations, reducing a company’s service time and cost by up to 80 per cent. With less downtime, wind farms produce more energy.

The startup is currently seeking co-development partners to scale the availability of its technology around the world.

Other drone technologies working with wind turbines that Springwise features in its library include a marine robot for underwater offshore farm maintenance and an inspection and cleaning service.

Written By: Keely Khoury