We’re excited to announce our investment in First Airborne.
Global installation of wind capacity has reached over 743 GW in 2021[1]. Tremendous growth is expected in both on and offshore wind turbine installations in the coming years, with onshore wind expected to grow 57% to 850 GW and offshore wind nearly tripling to 66 GW by 2024.
As large, unmanned, remote structures that are increasingly open to elements of harsh environments, wind farms both on and offshore are often subject to performance related issues that need to be addressed to remain cost effective and maximize efficiency. The global market for wind turbine inspection drones was estimated at $43bn in 2020, and growing faster than possible for personnel recruitment to keep pace with. Overcoming these operational challenges will require a greater reliance on remote technology, which is both cheaper and safer to operate. Autonomous airborne drones will prove instrumental in the maintenance, inspection and dispatch services essential to wind farms.
Resident Robotics for Continuous Data Collection
First Airborne provides automated airborne services tailored to on and off shore wind farms. The Resident Airborne Services (“RAS”) platform provides cutting edge, fully automated robotics-based performance, inspection, and dispatch services.
This Includes:
- Windborne: A patented first-class wind measurement instrument which serves as a prevalent wind resource when mounted on a copter UAV
- FAB Nests: Marine-worthy docking & charging stations, designed to withstand extreme weather conditions
- FAB Aircraft: A low drag, power-weight optimum, stable copter UAV
- FAB SaaS: A feature-rich software ecosystem which allows users the ultimate control over the monitoring of wind turbines. Core features include automated asset inspection services, high-quality real-time video streaming to remote users, Detailed reports & archives, and many more.
By being the first fully automated platform, First Airborne is already disrupting the wind operations and maintenance market. The company has achieved significant technological breakthroughs in automation and robotics, setting them apart from competitors worldwide. Similarly, First Airborne has demonstrated significant growth in the last 12 months, successfully signing major contracts and working with some of the world’s largest wind operators. First Airborne currently focuses on the European market, but has strategic plans to expand into the US market and to offshore wind farms in the North Sea.
With cutting-edge technology, a strong founding team, and a market that is growing at a double digit growth rate, First Airborne is extremely well positioned to scale their operations and lead the industry globally.
Read more about First Airborne here.
[1] International Energy Agency Report