8.2 DIRECT-DRONE: Inspections Thought One Step Further - Inspections by Drones of Wind- and Solar Plants

Wind energy plants are reaching ever greater heights, rotor blades are getting longer and longer – this is where drone technology can contribute decisively to inspection

Since the beginning of the commercial use of wind energy, the trend has been towards ever taller towers and longer rotor blades on wind turbines. Hub heights of 150m and rotor diameters beyond 160m are no longer uncommon. As a result, the inspection of these wind turbines will become more and more complex and time-consuming.This is where highly developed technologies such as drone technology come in to speed up the processes and provide the inspector with another evaluation tool. 

Supported by the right software, drones are already capable of providing fully automated inspection solutions for wind and solar plants. With 8.2 DIRECT-DRONE, experienced experts carry out the aerial survey and can thus focus on conspicuous features directly on site and generate additional image material if required. Aerial survey and evaluation are carried out from a single source - with the best qualifications and the highest quality. 

Further or supplementary examinations (e.g. rotor blade interior inspections or inspections of bolted connections) can be carried out with 8.2 DIRECT-DRONE directly during drone inspection. For larger wind farms where only random inspections are to be carried out using rope access technology, our experts can use 8.2 DIRECT-DRONE to create an optimal turbine selection and, on this basis, start directly with inspections using rope access technology. 

During follow-up inspections, these data form the basis for scheduling the first occurrence of damage, narrowing down the cause in more detail, and documenting the progression of damage. With the knowledge resulting from over 65,000 technical inspections of wind turbines, the software is being expanded continually and is being improved with each new inspection experience. You can benefit from this expert knowledge

Our 8.2 Services

We use applied drone technology in addition to our classic inspection services in the area of rotor blade and tower inspection for wind turbines or in the solar sector.

8.2 DIRECT-DRONE – Inspection and Assessment from a Single Source

• Inspection of your wind and solar energy plants by means of remote optical inspection with the latest technology
• Effective and detailed inspection of hard-to-reach areas (rotor blades and towers of wind turbines, solar energy plants)
• „One-Stop-Shop“: data collection and evaluation effected directly by our experienced 8.2 experts
• On-site data collection adapted as needed and precisely targeted thanks to the extensive practical experience of 8.2 experts with the components to be inspected
• High-quality and complete inspection results with precise recommendations for action
• If required, immediate and precise decision-making for the initiation of immediate measures (e. g. for da mage analysis after accidents)
• Combination and addition with other inspection met hods possible through the complete range of ser vices offered by the 8.2 Group (rope access technology, internal rotor blade inspection, ...) 

Do you have any questions about your inspection project? Contact us - we will be happy to advise you.