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RWE has successfully conducted autonomous drone inspections of wind turbine blades at the Rødsand 2 offshore wind farm in Denmark, marking the first offshore demonstration of this technology. In collaboration with Danish startup Quali Drone and funded by the EUDP programme, the inspection process allows for real-time assessments while turbines are operational, which traditionally required stopping the turbines.

This innovative approach is part of the Danish AQUADA-GO project and utilizes AI technology from DTU, the Technical University of Denmark, to identify abnormalities in turbine blades through advanced algorithms and computer vision, including thermal imaging. The drone inspection method aims to reduce downtime, inspection costs, and CO2 emissions, potentially transforming operational efficiency in the offshore wind industry.