Inspecting Wind Turbines Without Stopping Them: Japanese Company Demos Drone Technology

This article published in collaboration with JUIDA, the Japan UAS Industrial Development Association

Japanese Company Showcases First Non-Stop Wind Turbine Inspection Technology Using Drones

by DRONELIFE Staff Writer Ian J. McNabb

At the Tsukaba Forum recently held in Japan, Tokyo-based Nippon Telegraph and Telephone Corporation (NTT) recently unveiled new technology for inspecting wind turbines without requiring them to stop, announcing a demonstration experiment to showcase their innovative approach. Conventional methods for inspection required the turbine to be completely stopped before a technician could inspect it, a difficult process that had serious effects on power generation efficiency. NTT’s new process takes two autonomous drones, fitted with relatively small commercial radio emitters, and sends weak radio signals between them (which don’t require a federal license). This creates a “Fresnel Zone” between the two UAVs that can be formed on either side of a turbine, sensing damage or other issues with the entire unit as it continues operating.

According to NTT’s press release, Japan, which has invested heavily in wind power and is building large new farms off its long coastline, will have over 3,600 new wind turbines constructed by 2040. Finding improved ways to service the often-remote units is important for easing the transition into greener forms of energy, so the autonomous drones can make inspection of offshore turbines much easier. By using the radio field, the drones accurately gauged the degree of damage on a moving turbine arm without requiring stationary analysis, albeit in a controlled lab setting.

Working on wind turbines can be dangerous, with often stormy conditions and the dizzying heights involved presenting considerable barriers to regular maintenance. NTT hopes that integrating more remote and autonomous systems with wind farms can result in a greener, more efficient future. While this technology is promising, so far, it’s mostly a proof-of-concept, with NTT not announcing a timeline for release, but innovative uses for drones will continue to appear across the global economy, especially when it comes to the rollout of renewable energy sources worldwide. According to NTT, next steps will include a larger-scale outdoor test on multiple functioning units to further develop the process.

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