by DRONELIFE Staff Writer Ian M. Crosby
Autonomous drone solutions provider Nearthlab has announced its completion of rounds of inspections in Latin America led by the award-winning NearthWIND Mobile, a plug-and-play solution converting store-bought products into smart device-tethered autonomous inspection drones.
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This marks the first instance in which standard commercial drones were deployed to complete full-scale inspections within the region.
The drones were deployed to inspect wind farms plagued by accessibility issues and operational hazards. Even in unfavorable conditions, NearthWIND Mobile proved its capabilities, conducting a survey of a 200-foot rotor blade in a span of five minutes.
“Making a dry run in the land of extremes felt like a tall order, to say the least,” said Nearthlab co-founder and CEO Jay Choi. “But now that NearthWIND Mobile is gaining traction as a tried-and-true solution among operators who had long been putting up with the strictest of customs and drone regulations, the prospect of NearthWIND Mobile becoming the new black of wind O&M seems brighter than ever.”
In order to remain competitive with the rapid growth of renewable energy, it is necessary for wind farms to leverage the power of ultra-portable drone solutions to enable impromptu inspections. NearthWIND Mobile seeks to assist operators in carrying out unplanned checkups without financial and scheduling constraints of navigating the logistical complications surrounding the use of industrial-grade UAVs.
Active in Europe and North America, NearthWIND Mobile is preparing for the large-scale expansion of its global footprint in the coming year.
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Ian attended Dominican University of California, where he received a BA in English in 2019. With a lifelong passion for writing and storytelling and a keen interest in technology, he is now contributing to DroneLife as a staff writer.
Miriam McNabb is the Editor-in-Chief of DRONELIFE and CEO of JobForDrones, a professional drone services marketplace, and a fascinated observer of the emerging drone industry and the regulatory environment for drones. Miriam has penned over 3,000 articles focused on the commercial drone space and is an international speaker and recognized figure in the industry. Miriam has a degree from the University of Chicago and over 20 years of experience in high tech sales and marketing for new technologies.
For drone industry consulting or writing, Email Miriam.
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