PES caught up with Danny Ellis, CEO and co-Founder of Skyspecs, to hear about the latest drone inspection technology. It’s an exciting time for Skyspecs as they look towards expanding their services in Europe.
PES: Welcome to PES Wind magazine. Thanks for talking with us. Would you like to begin by explaining a little about the background of your organisation and how you currently serve the wind industry?
Danny Ellis: SkySpecs was founded in 2012 with the goal of developing technology to automate the inspection process of large structures. We have been working on autonomous drone software since 2009 when we competed in an international research competition as students at the University of Michigan. Our focus is on automating blade inspections to help improve the quality of data, measurably reduce the effort to complete inspections and enable preventative maintenance of the wind turbine blades. With better, faster and more accurate inspection technology, owners and operators of wind farms will be able to maximise their energy output while reducing their maintenance expenses.
PES: Is wind energy a growing business area for you? How are you capitalising on this growth?
DE: Wind energy is SkySpecs’ primary focus. We have been working in the wind industry since 2013 and have continued to grow our business with the increasing demand for blade and tower inspections. As more installations are built and older towers begin to see significant wear and tear, there is an increased demand for safe, efficient, and repeatable methods for monitoring the health of the turbines. We are capitalising on this opportunity by providing an automated solution for inspections.
