Vestas enlists Sulzer Schmid and WKA for drone-based blade inspection campaign

The Danish wind turbine manufacturer, Vestas, has enlisted the Swiss unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) technology firm, Sulzer Schmid, and the blade inspection and repair company, WKA Blade Service.
The companies will conduct a drone-based blade inspection campaign across 1,250 wind turbines in Sweden and Finland.
The blades must be inspected by the end of June, due to the timing of the repair work season. With the small timeframe, Vestas has opted to use drones to meet high-quality standards under the time constraints.
“The feedback from the field teams and the blade experts provides us with a wealth of information that helps to continuously improve the technology and to further push the boundaries of productivity and ease of deployment,” explained Christof Schmid, Co-Founder of Sulzer Schmid.
“We are convinced that drone-based inspection will become the new standard in the wind industry,” stated Jöns Sjöstedt, Senior Service Director of Sweden and Finland of Vestas Northern and Central Europe.
SEE ALSO:
-
CTV driving transparent approach to offshore wind operations
-
Denmark’s Vestas installed 20% of all wind turbines last year
“In combination with an efficient field operation and a streamlined digital information flow, this innovative solution will add a lot of value to our customers.”
“We are looking forward to seeing the results of WKA and Sulzer Schmid’s collaboration on this inspection campaign.”
“As a trusted service provider for Vestas for blade repairs, we strive to always provide the most effective service, using the best technology available on the market,” commented Kyriakos Kosmidis, CEO of WKA.
“That’s why we are thrilled to be able to rely on Sulzer Schmid’s drone technology to expand our service and meet the demanding requirement of the wind industry world leader.”
“Going forward, we are pleased to announce that all of our customers will be able to benefit from our collaboration with Sulzer Schmid.”