Robot team set sail for offshore wind farm inspection

The £4m Innovate UK-funded project, known as MIMRee (Multi-Platform Inspection, Maintenance and Repair in Extreme Environments), will develop and test an autonomous crew, consisting of an unmanned vessel, drone and crawling robot.

The technology is expected to save an average wind farm £26m over its lifetime.

Inspection and repair of offshore wind turbine blades is carried out by human technicians working on ropes in extreme conditions. Such inspections can only take place during restricted windows when the weather is good, according to Tony Fong, engineering manager for operational performance at the Offshore Renewable Energy (ORE) Catapult, which is providing its engineering expertise and testing facilities to the project.

“Specialist rope access teams have to descend down each of the blades in order to inspect and maintain them,” said Fong. “The turbines also have to be shut down during this maintenance, which costs the industry money because the turbines aren’t generating [electricity] during this time.”