Esvagt has introduced drone inspection for offshore wind farms, which are claimed to provide faster inspections with improved efficiency, while at the same time maintaining safety of the crew by eliminating the need for rope access.
The potential in using UAVs – unmanned aerial vehicles, commonly called ’drones’ – in the offshore industry is considerable, and ESVAGT has therefore added drone inspection to its list of offered services.
Most recently, the ’Esvagt Champion’ assisted with the drone inspection of wind turbine blades and towers on the 80 wind turbines on the BARD Offshore 1 wind farm, German sector, in cooperation with AtSite A/S. AtSite A/S are specialists in inspection, analysis and database solutions for blades and main components for wind turbines.
A drone inspection is a visual inspection of the surfaces and edges of the turbine blade and takes approximately 25 minutes per turbine. In comparison, an inspection with rope access takes between a half and a whole day per turbine and involves working at heights and personnel transfer between vessel and TP.
Using a vessel as central base for the drone inspections, the wind farm can be quickly, safely and efficiently inspected.
“You save a great deal of time. This service is relevant for many,” says Mads Obling Rasmussen, CEO for AtSite A/S.
At the same time as the drone inspection, AtSite A/S also collected photo documentation from the ’Esvagt Champion’ of the wind turbine’s foundations and substation.