Page 47 - North American Clean Energy July/August 2020 Issue

Drones
Ensuring the continual performance of renewable energy assets requires a systematic approach
to maintenance, repair, and monitoring. In order to prepare a comprehensive maintenance plan, inspections must be performed to determine faults and failures, whether through sensing technology, photographic evidence, or human interface.
Advances in technology are rapidly changing the way the industry conducts this business. The evolution of drones and artificial intelligence technology have developed into increasingly accurate methods of inspecting equipment, analyzing, and reporting generated data to produce actionable planning for scheduled maintenance, effective budgeting, and reducing urgent repairs.
service spotlight: drones
Nearthlab
Product: Autonomous drone for smart defect
detection and analytics using AI
Description: Nearthlab's autonomous drone enables safe and hassle-free inspection for both onshore and offshore wind turbines. Nearthlab's all-in-one cloud platform allows efficient management of inspection data.
Industries: Wind
Services: Inspection, Drone-as-a-Service
Pilot: FAA Part 107 exam
Autonomous: Intelligent pathing, blade aware
Image capture: 46 mega pixel
Inspection time: 15 minutes
Flight features: Hover capability, autonomous detection
Safety features: Geofencing, GPS redundancy, collision-tolerant, emergency landing
Software: 3D mapping, LiDAR, interactive, deep learning
CLOBOTICS CORPORATION Product: Clobotics Windspector - Autonomous
Drone Inspection Solution
Description: Clobotics’ Windspector is an end-to-end solution combining autonomous drones, artificial intelligence, cloud-based data analytics, and asset management for automated inspections of both onshore and offshore wind turbines.
Industries: Wind
Services: Inspection, Drone-as-a-Service
Pilot: FAA Part 107 exam
Autonomous: Intelligent pathing, blade aware, no predefined path
Inspection time: Under 25 minutes Flight features: Hover capability
Safety features: Geofencing, GPS redundancy, emergency landing
Software: Modelling, LiDAR, interactive, AI algorithms
Data analysis: Analysts, AI (predictive
Exo Group, LLC.
Product: Structural Engineering and Inspection
Services
Description: Exo performs structural assessments on vertical infrastructure ranging from steel T&D assets to composite pole and blade components. They use the latest UAS technology to capture inspection data that their asset experts can turn into actionable insight.
Industries: Wind, solar, T&D
Services: Inspection, maintenance, Drone-as- a-Service, infrared, thermal imaging, beyond line of sight (BVOL))
Pilot: FAA Part 107 exam
Autonomous: Intelligent pathing
Flight features: Hover capability
Safety features: Geofencing, GPS redundancy, collision-tolerant, emergency landing
Software: Interactive, cloud-based asset GIS portal
Civdrone
Product: Autonomous construction layout and
stakeout
Description: Autonomous marking drones and rover that can stakeout up 4000 coordinates a day using robotics and advanced RTK systems
Industries: Wind, solar
Services: Surveying, Drone-as-a-Service
Pilot: FAA Part 107 exam
Autonomous: Intelligent pathing
Flight features: Hover capability
Safety features: Geofencing, GPS redundancy Software: (3D mapping, CivPlan mission planners www.civdrone.com
Data analysis: Consultants, analysts, AI (predictive analytics)
www.nearthlab.com
Microdrones
Product: mdTector1000CH4 aaS
Description: mdTector1000CH4 aaS consists of a Pergam gas sensor, mounted and integrated with a Microdrones md4-1000 UAV. It has an onboard HD video link, so users can see in real time what the laser sensor is detecting.
Industries: Inspection, construction, engineering, surveying, emissions, safety
Services: Natural gas line surveys, tank inspections, gas well testing, landfill emission monitoring, plant safety
Pilot: FAA Part 107 exam in USA
Autonomous: Fully automated mission execution
and realtime mission monitoring using mdCockpit
analytics)
www.clobotics.com
Data analysis: Consultants, analysts www.exoinc.com
DroneUp
Product: Equipment, financing, flight services,
training & consulting, research & development
Description: Across the global landscape, DroneUp delivers innovative solutions that enable drone operations with value and effectiveness. At the core of their business
is their pilot network hosted by their in-app Mission Match technology that allows them to connect business and government organizations to drone pilots. They connect clients to drone software and service solutions to meet their demands for intelligent data challenges with efficiency, reliability, and safety.
Industries: Commercial industry, public sector, public safety entities
National Roofing Partners Product: AI-Powered Roof Assessment
Description: NRP has reinvented commercial roof condition analysis with a smart, safe,
and accurate way to analyze roofs. Available nationwide
Industries: Solar, commercial Services: Inspection, surveying www.nationalroofingpartners.com
Services: Construction, property, pavement, equipment inspections, progress monitoring, elevation and thermal, site data analysis, 3D modeling, marketing, individual and group training, waiver creation, program development, documentation and collaboration
Pilot: Pilots in the DroneUp network must be FAA Part 107 Certified to apply or claim missions in-app. Credentialing processes and verification of all pilots are mandatory for SOW and each is reviewed by the Flight Operations Team
Software: The DroneUp App can be found on both the Google Store & Apple’s iTunes
www.droneup.com
Length of operation/inspection time/ downtime: Varies depending on project parameters
Flight features: md4-1000 robust, powerful, stable and dependable Tri-blade quadcopter airframe
Safety features: GPS, self-test, GPS
homing (automatic return to base), automatic landing, virtual fence, real time error messages, automatic emergency landing in case of battery or control problems
Software: LiDAR, mdCockpit, mdInfinity Data analysis: mdTector Viewer App: Visualize
methane detection levels, post flight on a map, via an intuitive, easy to use Microdrones Android app
www.microdrones.com
North American Clean Energy
47