Successful Remote Automated Inspection of Offshore Wind Power Facilities Using Vehicle-Mounted Drone Port
Key facts
- Successful Remote Automated Inspection of Offshore Wind Power Facilities Using Vehicle-Mounted Drone Port
- Akita Offshore Wind Corporation and KDDI Smart Drone Inc. have successfully demonstrated remote automated inspection of offshore wind power facility blades using a vehicle-mounted drone port. This enables remote automated inspections from land, reducing the need for personnel to travel to the site and potentially shortening inspection times.
- Source: PR Times
- Date: June 10, 2026
Direct answer
Akita Offshore Wind Corporation and KDDI Smart Drone Inc. have successfully demonstrated remote automated inspection of offshore wind power facility blades using a vehicle-mounted drone port. This enables remote automated inspections from land, reducing the need for personnel to travel to the site and potentially shortening inspection times.
- Citation
- Successful Remote Automated Inspection of Offshore Wind Power Facilities Using Vehicle-Mounted Drone Port (June 10, 2026), PR Times
- Source
- PR Times
- Date
- June 10, 2026
Akita Offshore Wind Corporation and KDDI Smart Drone Inc. have successfully demonstrated remote automated inspection of offshore wind power facility blades using a vehicle-mounted drone port. This enables remote automated inspections from land, reducing the need for personnel to travel to the site and potentially shortening inspection times.
📋 Article Processing Timeline
- 📰 Published: June 10, 2026 at 19:03
- 🔍 Collected: June 10, 2026 at 10:21
- 🤖 AI Analyzed: June 12, 2026 at 16:52 (54h 31m after Collected)
Akita Offshore Wind Corporation (Headquarters: Noshiro City, Akita Prefecture, President: Soichi Inoue, hereinafter referred to as Akita Offshore Wind) and KDDI Smart Drone Inc. (Headquarters: Chiyoda-ku, Tokyo, President: Masafumi Hirohino, hereinafter referred to as KDDI Smart Drone) have successfully completed a demonstration (hereinafter referred to as "This Demonstration") of remote automated inspection of blade exteriors using a vehicle-mounted drone port at an offshore wind power facility operated by Akita Offshore Wind, from March 23rd to 26th, 2026.
This Demonstration utilized a vehicle-mounted drone port, equipped with automatic takeoff/landing and automatic charging functions, with the aim of efficiently inspecting multiple offshore wind power facilities. Flight instructions were issued remotely from the business office, confirming the ability to remotely grasp the condition of dirt, scratches, and other issues on the exterior of the wind turbine blades.
This Demonstration confirmed that drone operators can initiate inspections remotely from land at the required timing, without needing to travel to the landing and takeoff site. This may allow for visual confirmation of blade exteriors from land, even when it is difficult for workers to travel to the offshore wind power facilities by dedicated ship, provided flight conditions are met.
Furthermore, by utilizing the vehicle-mounted drone port, it was confirmed that blades rotating slowly or in a stopped state can be inspected in approximately 30 minutes to 1 hour per unit, from the arrival of the vehicle at the takeoff/landing location to the completion of the inspection. In cases where power generation previously had to be stopped for exterior inspections, this is expected to contribute to reduced inspection waiting times and quicker situation assessment and early recovery in the event of equipment abnormalities.
■ Background
For offshore wind power facilities, continuous inspection and maintenance of equipment, including blades, are crucial for stable power generation. Blades, in particular, are at risk of damage from lightning strikes and flying debris, requiring rapid situation assessment in case of abnormalities.
However, as offshore wind power facilities are located offshore, conventional inspections require maintenance personnel to travel to the site by dedicated ship. This makes them susceptible to weather and sea conditions, potentially causing delays in starting inspections, and also poses a burden on personnel travel.
To address these challenges, there has been a demand for a system that allows for remote visual inspection of blades from land, thereby shortening lead times for inspection starts, improving the efficiency of maintenance operations, enabling rapid assessment of equipment abnormalities, and reducing the burden of personnel travel.
■ Details of the Initiative
In This Demonstration, KDDI Smart Drone leveraged its expertise gained from over 10,000 remote operations to acquire still images and video of the exterior of blades using a vehicle-mounted drone port at four offshore wind power facilities located in the waters of Noshiro Port and Akita Port, operated by Akita Offshore Wind.
Verification Items
Details
Verification Results
Operationality of Vehicle-Mounted Drone Port
Verified whether the drone port, mounted on a vehicle, can be flexibly deployed and operated according to the facility to be inspected.
- Confirmed stable takeoff/landing and operation from various locations. Verified its effectiveness for efficient inspection of multiple offshore wind power facilities.
Remote Operation Performance
Verified whether the vehicle-mounted drone port can be operated safely and accurately from a remote location based on pre-set flight routes and restricted flight areas.
- Confirmed normal operation in response to remote takeoff commands, allowing inspections to begin without local personnel needing to travel to the takeoff/landing site.
- Confirmed that the automatic deceleration and return functions operate normally when approaching restricted flight areas, ensuring highly safe operations.
Blade Exterior Inspection
Verified whether the exterior, such as scratches and dirt, can be visually confirmed remotely for blades rotating slowly or in a stopped state.
- Confirmed that even at a separation distance of approximately 90m from the blade, scratches, dirt, repair marks, and even handwritten characters could be visually identified in real-time video, confirming its effectiveness for safe and efficient inspection without approaching the equipment closely.
Communication Stability
Verified communication stability during remote operations using Wi-Fi (2.4GHz), aerial radio waves (4G LTE), and Starlink circuits.
- Confirmed stable remote operations in each communication environment.
- Verified the effectiveness of expanding operational areas by utilizing Starlink circuits even in locations with unstable communication environments.
■ Equipment Used
【DJI Dock 3】
Item
Specifications
Dimensions
Deployed: 1760 × 745 × 485mm / Stowed: 640 × 745 × 770mm
Weight
55kg (excluding drone)
Ingress Protection Rating
IP56
Operating Temperature
-30℃ to 50℃
Charging Time
Approx. 27 minutes
Maximum Landing Wind Speed
12m/s
【DJI Matrice 4TD】
Item
Specifications
Dimensions
377.7 × 416.2 × 212.5mm (L×W×H, excluding propellers)
Weight
1,850g
Ingress Protection Rating
IP55
Maximum Flight Distance
43km
Maximum Flight Speed
21m/s
Maximum Wind Resistance Speed
12m/s
■ Roles of Each Company
Akita Offshore Wind
- Provided the demonstration site (Akita Offshore Wind Power Plant)
- Provided offshore wind power facilities and inspection targets (blades)
- Coordinated with local stakeholders, etc.
KDDI Smart Drone
- Provided the vehicle-mounted drone port
- Provided aerial radio wave (4G LTE) and Starlink circuits
- Provided the remote operation system and conducted remote operations
- Obtained flight permits
■ Future Initiatives
Based on the knowledge gained from This Demonstration, KDDI Smart Drone and Akita Offshore Wind will promote the practical application of remote automated inspection of offshore wind power facilities using vehicle-mounted drone ports. In the future, by establishing a system that enables rapid remote inspections of offshore wind power facilities, which are susceptible to weather and sea conditions, they aim to improve the safety of inspection work and reduce power generation downtime. This will support the stable operation of offshore wind power, contributing to the further spread and expansion of renewable energy.
End
This Demonstration utilized a vehicle-mounted drone port, equipped with automatic takeoff/landing and automatic charging functions, with the aim of efficiently inspecting multiple offshore wind power facilities. Flight instructions were issued remotely from the business office, confirming the ability to remotely grasp the condition of dirt, scratches, and other issues on the exterior of the wind turbine blades.
This Demonstration confirmed that drone operators can initiate inspections remotely from land at the required timing, without needing to travel to the landing and takeoff site. This may allow for visual confirmation of blade exteriors from land, even when it is difficult for workers to travel to the offshore wind power facilities by dedicated ship, provided flight conditions are met.
Furthermore, by utilizing the vehicle-mounted drone port, it was confirmed that blades rotating slowly or in a stopped state can be inspected in approximately 30 minutes to 1 hour per unit, from the arrival of the vehicle at the takeoff/landing location to the completion of the inspection. In cases where power generation previously had to be stopped for exterior inspections, this is expected to contribute to reduced inspection waiting times and quicker situation assessment and early recovery in the event of equipment abnormalities.
■ Background
For offshore wind power facilities, continuous inspection and maintenance of equipment, including blades, are crucial for stable power generation. Blades, in particular, are at risk of damage from lightning strikes and flying debris, requiring rapid situation assessment in case of abnormalities.
However, as offshore wind power facilities are located offshore, conventional inspections require maintenance personnel to travel to the site by dedicated ship. This makes them susceptible to weather and sea conditions, potentially causing delays in starting inspections, and also poses a burden on personnel travel.
To address these challenges, there has been a demand for a system that allows for remote visual inspection of blades from land, thereby shortening lead times for inspection starts, improving the efficiency of maintenance operations, enabling rapid assessment of equipment abnormalities, and reducing the burden of personnel travel.
■ Details of the Initiative
In This Demonstration, KDDI Smart Drone leveraged its expertise gained from over 10,000 remote operations to acquire still images and video of the exterior of blades using a vehicle-mounted drone port at four offshore wind power facilities located in the waters of Noshiro Port and Akita Port, operated by Akita Offshore Wind.
Verification Items
Details
Verification Results
Operationality of Vehicle-Mounted Drone Port
Verified whether the drone port, mounted on a vehicle, can be flexibly deployed and operated according to the facility to be inspected.
- Confirmed stable takeoff/landing and operation from various locations. Verified its effectiveness for efficient inspection of multiple offshore wind power facilities.
Remote Operation Performance
Verified whether the vehicle-mounted drone port can be operated safely and accurately from a remote location based on pre-set flight routes and restricted flight areas.
- Confirmed normal operation in response to remote takeoff commands, allowing inspections to begin without local personnel needing to travel to the takeoff/landing site.
- Confirmed that the automatic deceleration and return functions operate normally when approaching restricted flight areas, ensuring highly safe operations.
Blade Exterior Inspection
Verified whether the exterior, such as scratches and dirt, can be visually confirmed remotely for blades rotating slowly or in a stopped state.
- Confirmed that even at a separation distance of approximately 90m from the blade, scratches, dirt, repair marks, and even handwritten characters could be visually identified in real-time video, confirming its effectiveness for safe and efficient inspection without approaching the equipment closely.
Communication Stability
Verified communication stability during remote operations using Wi-Fi (2.4GHz), aerial radio waves (4G LTE), and Starlink circuits.
- Confirmed stable remote operations in each communication environment.
- Verified the effectiveness of expanding operational areas by utilizing Starlink circuits even in locations with unstable communication environments.
■ Equipment Used
【DJI Dock 3】
Item
Specifications
Dimensions
Deployed: 1760 × 745 × 485mm / Stowed: 640 × 745 × 770mm
Weight
55kg (excluding drone)
Ingress Protection Rating
IP56
Operating Temperature
-30℃ to 50℃
Charging Time
Approx. 27 minutes
Maximum Landing Wind Speed
12m/s
【DJI Matrice 4TD】
Item
Specifications
Dimensions
377.7 × 416.2 × 212.5mm (L×W×H, excluding propellers)
Weight
1,850g
Ingress Protection Rating
IP55
Maximum Flight Distance
43km
Maximum Flight Speed
21m/s
Maximum Wind Resistance Speed
12m/s
■ Roles of Each Company
Akita Offshore Wind
- Provided the demonstration site (Akita Offshore Wind Power Plant)
- Provided offshore wind power facilities and inspection targets (blades)
- Coordinated with local stakeholders, etc.
KDDI Smart Drone
- Provided the vehicle-mounted drone port
- Provided aerial radio wave (4G LTE) and Starlink circuits
- Provided the remote operation system and conducted remote operations
- Obtained flight permits
■ Future Initiatives
Based on the knowledge gained from This Demonstration, KDDI Smart Drone and Akita Offshore Wind will promote the practical application of remote automated inspection of offshore wind power facilities using vehicle-mounted drone ports. In the future, by establishing a system that enables rapid remote inspections of offshore wind power facilities, which are susceptible to weather and sea conditions, they aim to improve the safety of inspection work and reduce power generation downtime. This will support the stable operation of offshore wind power, contributing to the further spread and expansion of renewable energy.
End
FAQ
What specific problems does this technology solve?
It solves issues such as the burden of personnel travel, constraints due to weather and sea conditions, and long inspection times for offshore wind power facilities.
In what locations can it be utilized?
It can be applied not only to offshore wind power facilities but also to the inspection of infrastructure equipment in locations difficult to access remotely.
Can it be used in areas with unstable communication?
Yes, by using Starlink circuits, stable operation is possible even in areas with unstable communication environments.
How long does the inspection take?
Inspection per unit takes approximately 30 minutes to 1 hour, significantly reducing time compared to conventional methods.
What are the future prospects?
Based on the knowledge gained from the demonstration, the aim is to promote practical application and contribute to the expansion of renewable energy.