Inspecting wind turbine blades is a dangerous and expensive part of
operating a wind farm. But now it may be possible to have robots do the
dangerous climbing work, and allow the inspector to stay safely on the ground.
Turbine blades need to be regularly inspected as part of its
regular maintenance. Inspection helps identify blades that
need repair or replacement, before further damage occurs.
The robots for this task have been developed in partnership between
International Climbing Machines and GE. The first tests of the robot were
successfully carried out at a wind farm in Texas. In addition to the
high-definition cameras the robots currently carry, GE is exploring the use of microwave scanners that could
give inspectors an ability to
"see inside" the blade and gather more information than a
conventional visual inspection.
WOW what a good use of technology! Amazing to me!
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