TNO and SpectX are combining their expertise areas on a new one-year project known as the IBIS project (Increased Blade Inspection Safety). The teams will employ autonomous drone technology and digital twin models.Initial trials on a turbine blade on the ground were successful; the first pilot field inspections will take place soon. SpectX is a developer of autonomous drones and is developing a new system specifically for this project. Two drones fly in tandem and use X-ray technology to scan every inch of a wind turbine blade. The radiographic images from the scan are then interpreted and enhanced by means of AI coding. The team at TNO create a fully digital replica of the turbine blade (a digital twin), which takes into account all factors of the actual blade. The IBIS project, a collaborative effort of TNO and SpectX, has been made possible in part with funding from TKI Offshore Energy.
