Perceptual Robotics Developing Drone-Based Automated Inspection System

Innovate UK has awarded GBP 1.2 million to a consortium developing a surface inspection system for offshore wind turbines using drones. The consortium is led by Perceptual Robotics, a company based at the Bristol Robotics Laboratory (BRL), and Bristol University’s Visual Information Lab, who have partnered with ASV Global and VulcanUAV for the project.

Perceptual Robotics is working on an automated inspection system based on drones fitted with cameras and is developing advanced techniques for 3D tracking to support drone navigation together with Visual Information Lab.

Kostas Karachalios, Project Manager at Perceptual Robotics, said: “This award will make a significant difference to our development plans by allowing us to expand our systems into offshore operation and using the expertise in state-of-the-art tracking provided by the University team.”

Dr Tom Richardson, Senior Lecturer in Flight Mechanics at the Bristol University’s Department of Aerospace Engineering, said: “Robotics is a fast-moving area, with new advances happening every day. If robotics is to benefit industry, then knowledge transfer through close collaboration between companies and universities is essential. This type of partnership also focuses our research activities on challenging real-world problems, which benefits us and the company. It is great to see a company, started by University graduates, working in such a worthwhile area as renewable energy.”

With the new system, Perceptual Robotics is addressing the total cost of operation and maintenance that occurs on a wind farm by automating the travel out to as well as the inspections of the wind turbines.