Towards Operating Wind Turbine Inspections using a LiDAR-equipped UAV

TL;DR

This paper presents a novel UAV-based LiDAR and camera system for safe, efficient, and autonomous inspection of rotating wind turbine blades, reducing risks and costs compared to traditional methods.

Contribution

It introduces a new integrated UAV inspection system combining LiDAR, IMU, GPS, and camera for dynamic wind turbine blade analysis, validated with real-world data.

Findings

Successful real-world validation at wind farms

Enhanced safety and cost-efficiency over traditional methods

Potential for application to other infrastructure inspections

Abstract

In this study, a novel technique for the autonomous visual inspection of rotating wind turbine rotor blades utilizing an unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) was developed. This approach addresses the challenges presented by the dynamic environment at hand and the requirement of maintaining a safe distance from the moving rotor blades. The application of UAV-based inspection techniques mitigates these dangers and the expenses associated with traditional wind turbine inspection methods which involve halting normal wind farm operations. Our proposed system incorporates algorithms and sensor technologies. It relies on a light detection and ranging (LiDAR) sensor system, an inertial measurement unit, and a GPS to accurately identify the relative position of the rotating wind turbine with respect to the UAV's own position. Once this position is determined, a non-destructive visual analysis of the rotating rotor blades is performed by generating a suitable trajectory and triggering a camera fitted on a gimbal system as the blades approach. This new technique, built upon the existing research on UAV inspection of rotating wind turbines, has been empirically validated using data collected from real-world wind farm applications. This article contributes to the ongoing trend of enhancing the safety and efficiency of infrastructure inspection. It also presents a good base for future research, with potential applications for other types of infrastructure, such as bridges or power lines.