Wind farms
Wind turbine drone inspection: complete documentation of the site from the air.
We document from the air what on a wind farm most often blocks a decision and rarely gets proper documentation: the foundation, the tower from a safe distance, the roads, the yards, the substations and the construction progress.
For blades and technical rulings we work with a partner who has the right equipment and signs such an assessment.
Division of roles
One table instead of three conversations.
| Scope | Who delivers it | Why |
|---|---|---|
| Foundation, plinth and the surroundings of the position | Aerfield | Visual documentation from the air, the same craft as industrial buildings |
| Surface of the tower from a safe distance | Aerfield | Observation material for assessing coatings and visible damage |
| Technology roads, assembly and service yards | Aerfield | Condition and passability before heavy equipment moves in |
| Construction progress of the farm, fixed shots in a cycle | Aerfield | A contract from 6 visits; the value comes from a series of comparable shots |
| Substation, switchgear, grid connection, energy storage | Aerfield | Point energy infrastructure, visual documentation |
| Documentation after a windstorm, lightning strike or failure | Aerfield | Once the emergency services have finished, material for the insurer |
| Technical inspection of blades, assessment of the composite | Partner | Requires a specialised platform, procedure and materials expertise |
| The nacelle up close, the inside of the structure | Partner | Flight geometry and access beyond the capabilities of our platform |
| A technical ruling on the condition of the turbine | Partner | Professional liability and the signature of a certified expert |
| Land survey of the position, a map for design purposes | Land surveyor | Survey law and licences; we can fly the mission under their supervision |
This division of roles is part of the offer: you know in advance what we do ourselves and what we do with a partner.
When it makes sense
Five moments when operators call.
Taking over an asset
A change of owner, of O&M or of manager. A documented baseline protects both sides from a dispute about what was there before the handover.
End of the warranty
The warranty window is closing. Material from the air puts the list of things to report in order, before it stops mattering.
Construction and handovers
Progress of the works, the state of the roads and yards, use of the site. Fixed shots give the investor a comparable picture between visits instead of random phone photographs.
After a weather event
A windstorm, hail, a lightning strike. Quick documentation of the state of the site for the insurer, once the emergency services have finished.
Planning equipment access
Replacing a component needs a crane and passable roads. Checking the route from the air is cheaper than turning back an oversized transport.
Cyclical site survey
Overgrowth, erosion, the state of fences and drainage. A comparative register of changes between flights instead of a one-off walk-round.
Mission conditions
What this service will not do.
Conditions of delivery
- agreement with the farm operator, and for a mission close to the rotor, stopping the machine
- a flight within visual line of sight, up to 120 m above ground, after the zone has been qualified
- no precipitation, wind within the limits for a safe take-off and for the quality of the material
- consent for access to the site and for setting up the take-off position
Partner and specialist scope
- assessment of the blades and the composite, and a ruling on the turbine: a specialised partner
- diagnosis of the cause of a failure and calculation of lost production: your service company or an expert
- land survey, a map for design purposes and an as-built inventory: a licensed land surveyor
- ultrasonic testing, structural thermography and other contact methods: a crew with contact equipment
- flights beyond visual line of sight along the farm: a separate formal route, planned separately
Questions
Five questions that come up first.
Do you also check the blades?
We assess blades together with a partner. Blade inspection requires a specialised platform, a procedure for flying close to the structure, the competence to assess composite materials and someone who will sign the ruling. Aerfield delivers the data from the air, and the blade assessment and ruling are carried out by a partner we refer you to.
So what do you deliver on a wind farm?
Everything documented with the same craft as industrial buildings: the foundation and its surroundings, the surface of the tower from a safe distance, assembly and service yards, technology roads, substations and connections, the state of the site and construction progress captured as a cycle of fixed shots.
Does the turbine have to be stopped for the flight?
Usually yes, if the mission comes close to the rotor, and it always has to be agreed with the farm operator. We settle that before the date, not on the day of the flight. Part of the scope, for example roads, yards and construction progress, we deliver without stopping the machines.
Will I get a report I can use to settle accounts with a contractor?
You will get ordered material with observations, locations and the stated limits of the method. It is input for a conversation, not a ruling that settles a dispute. Settling accounts requires the signature of the appropriate surveyor or land surveyor, depending on what the dispute is about.
How much does it cost?
The starting point for a standalone assignment: from 2,200 PLN net, quoted by scope. The number of positions, how far apart the locations are, site entry requirements and arrangements with the operator change the scope too much for a single figure to be published. The price is in the quote before the flight.
Free quote
Describe the site - we will tell you what can be done and what cannot.
A reply within 1 business day. If the scope goes beyond what we can do, we will say so in the first message and point you to the right path.