There is plenty of room for improvement in operations and maintenance activities. James Parle will tell how a team from Muir Data systems developed a system that lets wind tech report more thoroughly on their activities with easy-to-use portable devices. And Grant Leaverton will report on how unmanned aerial vehicles can provides high resolution images of wind turbine inspections, especially blades, without rappelling from the nacelle.

1. New Ideas forTrimming
O&M Costs

2. Thank You To Our Sponsor

3. Before We Start
q This webinar will be available at
www.windpowerengineering.com & email
q Q&A at the end of the presentation
q Hashtag for this webinar: #WindWebinar

4. Moderator Presenters
Paul Dvorak
Windpower Engineering
& Development
James Parle
Muir Data Systems
Grant Leaverton
AAIR Team

5. AAIR
Team
Advanced
Aerial
Inspec2on
Resources,
Inc.
Wind
Energy
Presenta2on
1/13/15

6. Agenda
• Different Types of UAS (Unmanned Aerial Systems)
• Applications: Current
• Applications: Future
• Operational Benefits
• Regulatory Environment

7. What
is
a
“Drone”?
Small UAS (sUAS) Multi - Rotor Small UAS (sUAS) Fixed Wing
• <1 – 55 lbs gross weight including payload
• Line of site/FPV flight control
• Autonomous Flight Capable
• 3-5 km wireless range
• 20 -90 minute flight time
• 25-100mph flight speed
• Battery Power

8. Small
Unmanned
AircraH
System
(sUAS)
Equipment
AAIR
Team
employs
the
ASC
Tec
“Falcon
8”
aircraH
designated
as
“Eagle”.
The
baPery
powered
and
remotely
operated
Eagle
craH
has
the
following
features:
• Hi
Res
25
MP
digital
camera
payload
• HD
photo/video
stream
• Dual
axis
180
degree
field
of
vision
• Ac2vely
stabilized
camera
mount
• GPS
flight
control
• Max
wind
tolerance
of
15
M/S
• Deployable
in
minutes
• Autonomous
flight
capable

9. Wind
Applica2ons
-­‐
Current
• Rou2ne/Preventa2ve
Blade
Inspec2on
Inspec2on
• Emergency
Inspec2on
• End
of
Warranty
• Forensic
Inspec2on/Analysis
• T-­‐Line
Inspec2on

10. Wind
Applica2ons
Leading Edge Erosion
* LE Erosion can significantly impact blade aerodynamics, resulting
in a decrease in AEP for the turbine

11. Wind
Applica2ons
Lightning Damage
* Lightning Damage when left unchecked can develop into serious structural
problems for a blade

12. Wind
Applica2ons
Trailing Edge Split
* TE damage can propagate into failure of the blade,
resulting in much higher repair costs if not addressed early

13. Wind
Applica2ons
-­‐
Future
• Thermal
Imaging
• Lidar/Photogrammetry
• Blade
Modeling
• Site
survey
• Autonomous
flight

14. Opera2onal
Benefits
• Reduced asset downtime (30-­‐‑40 min inspection times)
• Enhanced Safety (Eliminate working at height with ropes or cranes)
• Cost Effective (Similar price point to ground based inspection with a
third of the downtime)
• BIG DATA

15. sUAS
Regulatory
Environment
Regulatory
Issues
• FAA
“Policy”
prohibits
commercial
use
of
UAS
un2l
formal
rules
can
be
enacted.
A
Sec2on
333
Exemp2on
from
the
FAA
is
the
only
path
• Texas
law
(HB
912
effec2ve
9/2013)
allows
UAS
use
for
the
purpose
of
electric
u2lity
line
inspec2ons
(among
other
specific
uses).
• Must
comply
with
all
Federal,
State
and
Local
regula2ons.

16. Muir Data Systems
Innovate Maintenance Management
Software Overview
James Parle, CEO
4/30/14

17. CMMS Key Features
• Custom built on modern stack
o Software-as-a-Service
o Currently used by blade ISPs
o Expanding to other company types
• Offline tablet functionality
• Logic based data in-take
• Customer portal 1
2
3

18. DOE Wind Survey
Satisfaction
Time
Technology
0.00
2.50
5.00
Field
Office
Storage
Reporting
Not at All
Moderately
Extremely
0.00
2.50
5.00
Somewhat
Digital
Digital
Analog
0.00
30.00
60.00
60 Mins
30 Mins
0 Mins

19. Work Order Flowchart
Admin
Techs
Admin
Customer
Work Order
Creation
Field Data In-
take
Customer
Portal
Work Order
Review
Rework
Option
Rework
Option

20. Work Order Creation
Bulk Report Download
Attached Files
Scheduling
Job Assignments
Work Order Status
Job Type
Time Stamping
Site Information
Internal Notes
Owner Name
Navigation
Scope of Work
Damage Type

21. Android Tablet App
Joseph Anderson
Auto Photo Resize
Tablet Camera
Instructions & Time Stamp
Template Exception
Photo Counter & Orientation
Full Resolution Photos
No Internet
Required

22. Built-in Photo Editor

23. Report Generation

24. Customer Portal
Bulk Report Download
Navigation
Blade Status
Site Information
Work Order Status
PDF Report Quick View
User Information
Work Order Details
Repair Summary

25. Business Perspective
• 75% faster report generation
o Requires only photo editing, headings, captions
• Process Control
o Template for each damage type
o Logic provides field guidance
• Accountability
o More accurate field data
o Time stamping
o Full resolution photo storage & sharing
• Data analytics
o Informed customer recommendations
o Marketing material
• Pricing Model
o Wind specific fee structure
o Time saved exceeds system cost
Condition Monitoring
(sensor data)
Digital Work Order Data
(human sourced data)
Reduced TCO through
Predictive Maintenance
SCADA
(sensor data)

26. james@muirdata.com

27. Questions?
Paul Dvorak
Windpower Engineering & Development
pdvorak@wtwhmedia.com
Twitter: @windpower_eng
James Parle
Muir Data Systems
james@muirdata.com
Grant Leaverton
AAIR Team
gleaverton@aairteam.com

28. Thank You
q This webinar will be available at
www.windpowerengineering.com & email
q Tweet with hashtag #WindWebinar
q Connect with Windpower Engineering & Development
q Discuss this on the EngineeringExchange.com