Drone Wind Turbine Blade Inspection Market Size, Share, Growth, Forecast 2030

Drone Wind Turbine Blade Inspection Industry Prospective:

The global drone wind turbine blade inspection market size was worth around USD 319.27 million in 2022 and is predicted to grow to around USD 601.47 million by 2030 with a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of roughly 8.24% between 2023 and 2030.

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The report delves deeper into several crucial aspects of the global drone wind turbine blade inspection market. It includes a detailed discussion of existing growth factors and restraints. Future growth opportunities and challenges that impact the drone wind turbine blade inspection industry are comprehensively addressed in the report.

Drone Wind Turbine Blade Inspection Market: Overview

Wind turbines are mechanical pieces of equipment used for converting wind kinetic energy into electrical energy. A typical turbine consists of 4 main parts that include nacelle, tower, hub, and blades. These devices use the aerodynamic force generated from the rotor blades that work like helicopter rotor wings or airplane wings. A wind turbine consists of 3 blades keeping in view that the angular momentum of the entire structure is not compromised. Drones on the other hand are unmanned aerial vehicles that have a wide variety of applications including inspecting wing turbine blades. The inspection of wind turbine components including the blades is a regular and mandated activity that ensures the proper functioning of wind turbines. Currently, there are 3 methods through which the blades can be inspected. They are rope access, ground-based inspection, and drone inspection. Out of all the 3 methods, inspection using drones has multiple advantages and they are contributing to higher growth in the drone wind turbine blade inspection industry.

Key Insights:

• As per the analysis shared by our research analyst, the global drone wind turbine blade inspection market is estimated to grow annually at a CAGR of around 8.24% over the forecast period (2023-2030)
• In terms of revenue, the global drone wind turbine blade inspection market size was valued at around USD 319.27 million in 2022 and is predicted to grow to around USD 601.47 million, by 2030.
• The chambered doctor blade systems market is projected to grow at a significant rate due to the growing demand for quality data during wind turbine inspection
• Based on application segmentation, offshore was predicted to show maximum market share in the year 2022
• Based on type segmentation, external inspection was the leading type in 2022
• On the basis of region, Europe was the leading revenue generator in 2022

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Drone Wind Turbine Blade Inspection Market: Growth Drivers

Growing demand for quality data during wind turbine inspection to drive market growth

The global drone turbine blade inspection market is projected to grow owing to higher demand for quality data produced during wind turbine inspection. As world leaders and energy consumers are actively seeking ways which help in reducing dependence on non-renewable sources of energy, wind turbines have received higher attention in the last decade. As per data provided by the Global Wind Energy Council, there are more than 340,000 wind turbines across the globe. Additionally, as per studies, 18.01% of the world’s energy will be supplied using renewable sources by 2025. These factors along with other reasons, the wind turbine industry has been under tremendous pressure to meet end-user expectations. Apart from their installation and energy production roles, wind turbine companies or owners are required to inspect the turbines including blades at regular intervals. This not only helps in maintaining the structural integrity of the turbine but can also help in determining any potential issue that may arise in the future. Using drone techniques for wind turbine blade inspection is known to reduce inspection time by over 69% while also ensuring that the data collected is high in quality and can be used for further analysis. Drones equipped with advanced sensors and cameras can pick up information that human eyes may miss. Moreover, it also reduces physical strain on human resources and the saved energy can be used for better purposes.

Innovation in drone technology to further higher growth

Since drones have gained global attention for several purposes over the years requiring minimum human intervention, there is a growing rate of innovation in drone technology which could contribute to the growth in the global market. This can be seen in the growing rate of product adoption. In June 2023, Deutsche Windtechnik used the DJI M300 RTK for inspecting Siemens Gamesa SWT 3.6-120 offshore wind turbines.

Drone Wind Turbine Blade Inspection Market: Restraints

Higher dependence on external factors impacting drone performance to restrict market expansion

The global drone turbine blade inspection market may not reach its full potential due to higher dependence or influence of external factors on drone performance. For instance, since they are machines, there is a risk of malfunctioning due to technical or non-technical errors. Additionally, modern-age drones do not have unlimited battery power and there is a probability that the drone may stop functioning midway during the inspection. Weather conditions including rain, storm, and other events could also impact drone performance. Research shows that fuel-powered drones have an average flight time of 30 minutes whereas battery-powered drones have even less flight time.

Drone Wind Turbine Blade Inspection Market: Opportunities

Rising investments in building offshore wind turbines to provide growth opportunities

Currently, regional governments and private energy-providing companies are interested in investing in offshore wind turbines since they are known to be more efficient due to the presence of high-speed winds at even consistency. They tend to have reduced environmental impact and can be constructed in larger spaces. The growth in the building of offshore wind turbines could result in higher demand for drones being used for blade inspection. In June 2023, India announced that it will build a new offshore wind turbine off the coast of Tamil Nadu and will invest INR 4 lakh crore over 7 years. This will help the region add 58 GW of wind energy capacity. Similarly in February 2023, the US witnessed 3 times increase in offshore wind investments in 2022.

Drone Wind Turbine Blade Inspection Market: Challenges

High cost of drones and the existing use of traditional methods to challenge the market expansion

The drone turbine blade inspection industry for traditional methods of wind turbine blade inspection is still higher. This includes inspection from the ground and rope access. There are certain advantages and disadvantages of each method and companies that own wind turbines determine the best-suited method depending on several factors. For instance, the cost of a drone for wind turbine blade inspection can range between USD 250 to USD 600 per turbine. Although the overall operational cost reduces when drones are used, factors such as the availability of skilled professionals to handle the drone, accurate data interpretation from the information collected, and chances of drone misplacement could result in companies choosing to continue using traditional inspection methods.

Drone Wind Turbine Blade Inspection Market: Segmentation

The global drone wind turbine blade inspection market is segmented based on application, type, and region.

Based on application, the global market segments are offshore and onshore. Currently, the market is led by the offshore segment mainly due to the limitations of conducting manual inspections in offshore facilities. Drone is currently the most viable solution for companies to inspect and detect damages on wind turbine blades when these structures are placed in oceans or seas. In 2021, the global offshore wind energy market was valued at over USD 32 billion and by 2030, it is projected to grow at a CAGR of 12.12% as investments across the globe are growing.

Based on type, the drone turbine blade inspection industry is divided into external inspection and internal inspection. The highest CAGR was observed in the external inspection segment as drones are mainly used for inspecting the outer structure of the blades. This includes damages such as blade deformation, paint peeling off, cracks, water ingress, and lightning traces as the blades are regularly subject to harsh environmental conditions. A 2015 report by Windpower Monthly suggests that wind turbine blades are failing at a rate of 3,800 per year.

Drone Wind Turbine Blade Inspection Market: Report Scope

Drone Wind Turbine Blade Inspection Market: Regional Analysis

Europe to register higher growth in the coming period

The global drone wind turbine blade inspection market is expected to be led by Europe during the forecast period. This is mainly due to the region's growing investments in renewable energy. In 2021, close to one-fifth of the energy in Europe was generated using renewable sources. As of 2022, the region has over 200 offshore wind turbines and the number is increasing steadily. In March 2023, the European Union (EU) pledged to double its renewable energy production by 2030. These factors are some of the leading causes of higher production penetration. In October 2021, Vestas, a leading European energy company completed inspection of offshore wind turbine rotor blades across 14 EU nations.

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The total number of wind blades inspected was close to 4000 and this was achieved in association with Sulzer Schmid, which provided the drone and the necessary technology for this mission. However, a key point to note is that as per reports, in 2022, there were no investments made in offshore structures as most companies focused on building onshore wind turbines. Asia-Pacific may grow at a faster CAGR as compared to the last few years. Rising investments and growing adoption of new technology for wind turbine installation and maintenance could trigger regional growth.

Drone Wind Turbine Blade Inspection Market: Competitive Analysis

The global drone wind turbine blade inspection market is led by players like:

• Aerodyne Group
• SkySpecs
• Raptor Maps
• DronePro
• Martek Aviation
• Cyberhawk Innovations
• ING Robotic Aviation
• UpWind Solutions
• Ventus Geospatial
• Sulzer Schmid Laboratories AG
• Skyspecs
• Strat Aero
• DroneGrid
• Sharper Shape Inc.
• Drone Flight Services
• Measure
• Flyability
• MIR Innovation
• Delair
• Sky Futures
• HUVr
• DroneBase
• Aerialtronics
• Avetics
• Vestas
• Skysense

The global drone wind turbine blade inspection market is segmented as follows:

By Application

• Offshore
• Onshore

By Type

• External Inspection
• Internal Inspection

By Region

• North America
  • The U.S.
  • Canada
• Europe
  • France 
  • The UK
  • Spain
  • Germany
  • Italy
  • Rest of Europe
• Asia Pacific
  • China
  • Japan
  • India
  • South Korea
  • Southeast Asia
  • Rest of Asia Pacific
• Latin America
  • Brazil
  • Mexico
  • Rest of Latin America
• Middle East & Africa
  • GCC
  • South Africa
  • Rest of Middle East & Africa