The SupAirVision start-up has developed several products, including drones, to help Engie and its other partners better maintain their wind farms.
SupAirVision, a start-up supported by Engie which innovates on drones, sensors and data, specializes in the inspection of wind turbine blades by drone to optimize their maintenance and allow the machines to be more productive. The flight of the drone is then automated around the blades. At VivaTech, we met the founder of SupAirVision, Sébastien Arnould, who introduced us to this technology which will be used more and more.
A diagnosis of wind turbine blades which, thanks to the drone, is done much faster
The company develops sensors a bit special », according to its founder Sébastien Arnould, to carry out tests on the blades. The drone you see in our article, for example, has a lightning path sensor. On the data, the start-up performs automatic fault detection to allow operators to detect and repair them more quickly. The company’s customers are wind farm operators and wind turbine manufacturers.
At VivaTech, SupAirVision presented its latest global innovation, Volta, which tests the lightning path of each wind turbine blade. ” They should be tested regularly. And this drone, which we invented and developed, makes it possible to make the diagnosis in 30 minutes “, explains the founder of the start-up.
Normally, a rope access technician abseiling along the blade makes the same diagnosis in three hours. The Aube-based company also takes care of all the digital part, with the recording of all the data and the data work that follows.
A range of devices at the service of wind power
SupAirVision did not come to the Porte de Versailles side with only its drone. For a more complete diagnosis of wind turbine blades, which can now be recycled, the start-up presented us, still on the Engie Green stand, with the Clarity device. This in-depth fault detection system works by active thermography. ” Basically, we heat the blade with a laser line, and we measure the thermal response to detect air bubbles or delaminations ‘, kinds of steel corrosion.
SupAirVision also has another drone, Sherlock, which inspects the blades with automatic detection of image defects. ” The set allows our customers to make complete diagnostics to improve the maintenance and productivity of wind turbines concludes Sébastien Arnould, confident for the future. Less harmful to the planet and perhaps not as harmful to wildlife contrary to what one might think, wind turbines are emerging as one of the main sources of energy of tomorrow.
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