Overview
Osprey Inspection ran a UAV blade and nacelle inspection campaign for onshore and offshore wind turbines. The goal was to find and classify surface defects, from leading edge erosion and cracks to delamination and lightning damage, using 4K imaging and AI-assisted defect detection.
Blades take a beating: cyclic loading, erosion from rain and particulates, lightning strikes, manufacturing defects. Left alone, minor damage can turn into structural failure fast. Drone inspection catches it earlier and more consistently than rope access, at a fraction of the cost and risk.
Scope
- Full blade surface inspection: leading edge, trailing edge, pressure side and suction side
- Blade tip condition assessment including lightning receptor status
- Nacelle external cover condition and component inspection
- Hub and rotor spinner external condition survey
- Tower external inspection including paint and corrosion assessment
- AI assisted defect classification and severity grading
Deliverables
The campaign delivered full blade condition data for every turbine in scope. Defect reports included GPS-referenced imagery, severity classifications and prioritised maintenance recommendations, so the operator could plan targeted repairs instead of guessing: no unnecessary preventive work, no missed structural risk.