AEROWIND: Advanced Aerial Robotics for Offshore Wind Turbine Maintenance

Renewable energy, particularly offshore wind turbines, plays a crucial role in the Netherlands' and EU energy-transition-strategies under the EU Green Deal. The Dutch government aims to establish 75GW offshore wind capacity by 2050. However, the sector faces human and technological challenges, including a shortage of maintenance personnel, limited operational windows due to weather, and complex, costly logistics with minimal error tolerance.
Cutting-edge robotic technologies, especially intelligent drones, offer solutions to these challenges. Smaller drones have gained prominence through applications identifying, detecting, or applying tools to various issues. Interest is growing in collaborative drones with high adaptability, safety, and cost-effectiveness.

The central practical question from network partners and other stakeholders is: “How can we deploy multiple cooperative drones for maintenance of wind turbines, enhancing productivity and supporting a viable business model for related services?” This is reflected in the main research question:

"Which drone technologies need to be developed to enable collaborative maintenance of offshore wind turbines using multiple smaller drones, and how can an innovative business model be established for these services?
In collaboration with public and private partners, Saxion, Hanze, and RUG will research the development of these collaborative drones and investigate the technology’s potential. The research follows a Design Science Research methodology, emphasizing solution-oriented applied research, iterative development, and rigorous evaluation.
Key technological building blocks to be developed:
• Morphing drones,
• Intelligent mechatronic tools,
• Learning-based adaptive interaction controllers and collaborations.
To facilitate the sustainable industrial uptake of the developed technologies, appropriate sustainable business models for these technologies and services will be explored.
The project will benefit partners by enhancing their operations and business. It will contribute to renewing higher professional education and may lead to the creation of spin-offs/spinouts which bring this innovative technology to the society, reinforcing the Netherlands' position as a leading knowledge economy.