Fully automating and digitising wind farm maintenance without human intervention is yet to come. But the first steps have already been taken. As a Senior consultant for wireless networks at TNO, Ljupco Jorguseski is responsible for strategic choices in testing and research. “For the maintenance of wind turbines, you need to train people, who examine each wind turbine to see if any wear and tear is visible,” Ljupco explains. “That is labour-intensive and therefore expensive. This already is the case for wind turbines on land, but at sea it becomes even more complicated. That is why we are investigating how to perform the maintenance check with drones and AI (Artificial Intelligence).”