Robots, AI, and the Future of Blade Maintenance: Is Wind Energy Getting Smarter?

Is the wind energy sector becoming smarter and more efficient? The answer depends on who you ask. While some companies still rely on traditional human labor, others are fully embracing AI and robotics to revolutionize operations.

Aerones belongs firmly in the latter group. Following a successful $62 million investment round earlier this year, the company has heavily invested in AI-enhanced solutions and software capabilities. Today, Aerones provides the world's most advanced robotic systems for turbine inspection, maintenance, and repair, delivering a powerful software layer that boosts speed, quality, and cost-efficiency.

Setting New Standards: Speed, Accuracy, and Consistency

As of September 2025, Aerones has significantly improved its repair robots, raising the bar for restoring eroded blades to near-factory condition.

• Record-Breaking Speed: The company has tripled the number of blades its robots can repair, potentially setting a new world record.
• Unmatched Quality: Robotic precision ensures consistency and repeatability that is difficult, if not impossible, to achieve with manual methods.

Recent innovations include robots integrating multiple tool bases, eliminating time-consuming equipment swaps in the field. Simultaneously, Aerones' dedicated materials laboratory tests fillers and protection materials against rain erosion, UV radiation, and temperature extremes, identifying optimal solutions for specific environments.

The Power of AI: From Data to Decision

Aerones is applying AI across its entire operation. Immediately after a drone or crawler inspection, footage is uploaded to the cloud where AI models detect and classify anomalies.

• Rapid Reporting: Advanced computer vision automatically assesses defects like cracks, erosion, or lightning damage.
• Human Verification: Blade specialists review AI findings, ensuring near-100% accuracy in anomaly detection.
• Visual Inspection Studio: Customers access all reports via a platform that allows side-by-side analysis of blade history and condition.

The Human + AI Synergy

Full automation isn't the goal; the most effective model combines AI's analytical power with human judgment.

• AI rapidly scans thousands of images for potential defects.
• Human Experts validate findings, weigh maintenance trade-offs, and make strategic safety-critical decisions.

This hybrid approach merges scalability with critical reasoning. As technician roles evolve from physically demanding fieldwork to analytical positions, the job becomes safer and more technical.

From Reactive to Proactive: The Predictive Shift

The industry is shifting from reactive repairs to predictive maintenance. Aerones is pioneering this by integrating automated repair, continuous data collection, and real-time monitoring to create digital twins. These models simulate turbine behavior, allowing operators to optimize schedules and extend asset lifespans.

By merging robotics, AI, and data intelligence, Aerones is turning maintenance into a proactive, data-driven process, unlocking new levels of safety and efficiency for wind farm operators globally.