WindSpect Wind Turbine Blade Inspection Solution Announced
Photo: WindSpect.
Strat Aero and AirFusion have introduced WindSpect, a wind turbine blade inspection solution that combines Strat Aero’s unmanned aircraft systems inspection services with AirFusion’s Wind Edition software and analytics to greatly improve the cost, time, accuracy and safety of wind turbine blade inspections.
Currently, inspectors perform visual inspections of turbines from a rope harness, which is time-consuming, expensive, inaccurate and extremely dangerous, according to an AirFusion press release. These inspections can take four to six hours to collect the data, report damage and recommend a repair plan. WindSpect promises to cut down that time to 1.5 hours.
WindSpect can also reveal damage that is impossible to detect with the unaided human eye such as hidden cracks, water deposits, loose adhesive joints and uneven coating by using advanced sensors and HD cameras on an advanced UAS. AirFusion’s Wind Edition software analyzes the visual and sensor data and automatically produces a report that can be exported directly to standard wind energy industry systems.
“As the industry continues to grow, regular inspection and maintenance of blades are becoming critical tools for wind turbine operators,” says Strat Aero CEO Russell Pack. “Our collaborative approach provides the industry with the most cost-effective and accurate solution on the market today.”
