Advancing UAV Technology for Offshore Wind Turbine MonitoringÂ
Supervisor: Dr Ye Yuan
Industry Partner: Offshore Renewable Energy Catapult
School: Engineering
Description:
Unmanned Aerial Vehicles (UAVs), such as drones, offer a practical solution for inspecting offshore wind turbines. However, inspections are typically conducted only when the turbines are non-operational due to the strong aerodynamic interactions (air turbulence) between the turbine blades and the smaller UAVs. This downtime results in lost energy generation.
This internship is a key component of the research objectives in the RIR Research Fellowship awarded to the supervisor, Dr. Ye Yuan. It focuses on developing a cutting-edge aerodynamic-autonomous solution to enable UAVs to inspect wind turbine blades while they remain operational.
During inspections, UAVs must maintain a constant distance from the turbine blade, requiring their rotors to match the turbine's rotational speed while enduring its turbulent wake. However, this turbulence induces vibrations in the UAV, degrading the quality of data captured by onboard imaging cameras. To address this challenge, this project will build upon an advanced aerodynamic modelling approach for wind turbines and UAVs to:
- Develop a vibration-resistant UAV flight solution by integrating the proposed aerodynamic model with a validated simulation method, accounting for aerodynamic interactions.
- Evaluate the effectiveness of the proposed solution using a rotorcraft testbed and wind tunnel/turbine demonstrators developed within this project at state-of-the-art wind tunnel facilities.
As offshore wind energy adoption increases, this research aims to enhance the efficiency, cost-effectiveness, and timeliness of turbine inspections while minimising downtime and maintaining energy generation.