Periodic Reporting for period 3 - A2Miro (A2Miro Solution: a fully automated inspection system by our SensorCopter that reduces WTs downtime)
Periodo di rendicontazione: 2021-11-01 al 2023-08-31
Challenge: A major pain point that hinders industry’s efforts to reduce the cost of offshore wind is inefficient inspection methods for the rotor blades. Operational and maintenance costs account for 25%-30% of the Levelized Cost of Electricity (LCoE) for offshore wind.
A2MIRO solution: Our fit for purpose helicopter autonomously inspects the offshore wind turbine in less than 2 hours, and its Sensor Head combines LIDAR, visual and infrared cameras, enabling the detection of defects as small as 0.5 mm. A2MIRO leverages our data analysis software (AERO-lyse), which is equipped with machine learning to provide to our customers key insights about future maintenance schedules. This will reduce 5% the LCoE.
With A2MIRO:
• The LCoE will be reduced around 5%.
• There will be a cost saving of €25 million for global offshore wind.
• Health and Safety (HSE) operations will be drastically increased in the field.
• We will grow our business by €8 million in cumulative net profits by 2030, generating 17 job positions in our company.
• Outstanding technology, caused by the development of the “AERO Flight Intelligence System”: Excellent image quality, continuous image profiling, efficient on-site handling, easy data upload
A2MIRO solution: Our fit for purpose helicopter autonomously inspects the offshore wind turbine in less than 2 hours, and its Sensor Head combines LIDAR, visual and infrared cameras, enabling the detection of defects as small as 0.5 mm. A2MIRO leverages our data analysis software (AERO-lyse), which is equipped with machine learning to provide to our customers key insights about future maintenance schedules. This will reduce 5% the LCoE.
With A2MIRO:
• The LCoE will be reduced around 5%.
• There will be a cost saving of €25 million for global offshore wind.
• Health and Safety (HSE) operations will be drastically increased in the field.
• We will grow our business by €8 million in cumulative net profits by 2030, generating 17 job positions in our company.
• Outstanding technology, caused by the development of the “AERO Flight Intelligence System”: Excellent image quality, continuous image profiling, efficient on-site handling, easy data upload
The whole project is splitted into two main parts:
The first topic is about a technological improvement in the inspection of offshore wind turbines with special drones that are capable of being operated beyond visual line of sight (BVLOS). In addition to mechanical and aerodynamic improvements and thus an increase in efficiency, the aim is also to significantly increase the flight-endurance, so that they can operate from greater distances.
To increase the autonomy of the flight robot, a sensor head with the integration of SLAM technology (Simultaneous Localization and Mapping) is being developed, which observes the airspace on the way to the remote location and at the same time has the ability to actively detect wind turbines, establish an inspection flight path and then automatically return to the starting point after the work is done
The second topic is the business development for international markets. In the first period we started to achieve manpower on the place of interest, in Northern Germany, to get closer to the near future core market (Northern Europe and Offshore windfarms). The goal was to contact potential international business partners from in the wind branch: OEM´s, wind park owners and service companies. Customer relation management was carried out under use of our CRM-Software.
Due to the prolongation of the Corona crisis in 2021 and 2022, it was very difficult to get directly to the customer. Also, the customer availability was limited. Nevertheless, we were able to do several offers to customers and brought projects to the ground. The number of total offers increased to 60 offers for 2023, we gained a significant number of promising customers (RWE, REZ, wpd, Nordex, Max Bögl, Zeitview etc.) in the service business and the delivery of Flight Intelligence Systems. Two systems could be delivered to the US market. Due to our success with the Flight System, DJI, the world biggest drone distributor, offered a marketing partnership to us in 2022.
Aero Enterprise participated in the most important wind fairs in Europe, f.e. in Hamburg, Husum, Kopenhagen, London etc., accompanied by publishing the development in international branch magazines in order to increase its awareness level.
The first topic is about a technological improvement in the inspection of offshore wind turbines with special drones that are capable of being operated beyond visual line of sight (BVLOS). In addition to mechanical and aerodynamic improvements and thus an increase in efficiency, the aim is also to significantly increase the flight-endurance, so that they can operate from greater distances.
To increase the autonomy of the flight robot, a sensor head with the integration of SLAM technology (Simultaneous Localization and Mapping) is being developed, which observes the airspace on the way to the remote location and at the same time has the ability to actively detect wind turbines, establish an inspection flight path and then automatically return to the starting point after the work is done
The second topic is the business development for international markets. In the first period we started to achieve manpower on the place of interest, in Northern Germany, to get closer to the near future core market (Northern Europe and Offshore windfarms). The goal was to contact potential international business partners from in the wind branch: OEM´s, wind park owners and service companies. Customer relation management was carried out under use of our CRM-Software.
Due to the prolongation of the Corona crisis in 2021 and 2022, it was very difficult to get directly to the customer. Also, the customer availability was limited. Nevertheless, we were able to do several offers to customers and brought projects to the ground. The number of total offers increased to 60 offers for 2023, we gained a significant number of promising customers (RWE, REZ, wpd, Nordex, Max Bögl, Zeitview etc.) in the service business and the delivery of Flight Intelligence Systems. Two systems could be delivered to the US market. Due to our success with the Flight System, DJI, the world biggest drone distributor, offered a marketing partnership to us in 2022.
Aero Enterprise participated in the most important wind fairs in Europe, f.e. in Hamburg, Husum, Kopenhagen, London etc., accompanied by publishing the development in international branch magazines in order to increase its awareness level.
The personnel and logistics costs for inspecting wind turbines in the on. and offshore area for the support of wind farms with maintenance and repairs is very high. A significant cost reduction can only be achieved by increasing efficiency in the form of bundling the capabilities of all resources and a higher level of automation.
It is precisely in this area that the A2MIRO project expands the possibilities of drone-based inspection:
Aero technology is a game changer in the industry because it is groundbreaking in both technology and operational implementation on site. In 2023, an offshore wind farm in the Baltic Sea was inspected in record time using our technology (11 turbines per day as maximum output, which corresponds to an increase in output by 50-110%). The image quality and the resulting improved interpretation results, supported by AI, are very positively received by customers. The result was, for example, the first direct recommendations from satisfied customers!
The A2MIRO project also made it possible for us to obtain the appropriate personnel for this development and to continue to employ these personnel with us!
Conclusion:
The costs for inspections can be reduced, and subsequently - with a much greater cost impact - the costs for repairing damage.
It is precisely in this area that the A2MIRO project expands the possibilities of drone-based inspection:
Aero technology is a game changer in the industry because it is groundbreaking in both technology and operational implementation on site. In 2023, an offshore wind farm in the Baltic Sea was inspected in record time using our technology (11 turbines per day as maximum output, which corresponds to an increase in output by 50-110%). The image quality and the resulting improved interpretation results, supported by AI, are very positively received by customers. The result was, for example, the first direct recommendations from satisfied customers!
The A2MIRO project also made it possible for us to obtain the appropriate personnel for this development and to continue to employ these personnel with us!
Conclusion:
The costs for inspections can be reduced, and subsequently - with a much greater cost impact - the costs for repairing damage.