BladeBUG and EGGS win €150k RIMA grant to bring remote inspection robot closer to market

BladeBUG, a UK based robotics specialist, joins forces with EGGS Design to further develop BladeBUG's maintenance and repair robot for wind turbines as part of a €150k grant project from RIMA (Robotics for Inspection and Maintenance) network.

The Robotics Innovation Experiment will focus on BladeBUG's industrial design, improving usability for professional users and the robot's suitability for use in extreme environments.

€150k grant from RIMA

As successful beneficiaries of European Union funding as part of the RIMA network Open Call 2, BladeBUG and EGGS Design will develop, test, and validate the robot in an operational environment. The funding is part of the RIMA (Robotics for Inspection and Maintenance) programme, which connects research, technology and service providers, industry sectors and digital innovation hubs to SMEs (Small and Medium-sized Enterprises) looking to accelerate innovation. BladeBUG was successful in the category for Energy Generation and Distribution, and the results of the experiment will be published in around 14 months.

"The funding from RIMA allows us to collaborate with the world-class team at EGGS, bring their expertise to the challenging world of offshore wind, and further push the vision of BladeBUG forward. A key advantage of robotics is being able to work in wider weather and environmental conditions, and this project will focus on."

Chris Cieslak, the founder and CEO of BladeBUG

Enables safe and efficient remote inspection

The rapid growth of offshore wind provides new challenges and opportunities for remote maintenance and repair solutions. UK-based BladeBUG develops advanced robots that can remotely perform tasks independently or assist technicians in the inspection, maintenance and repair of turbine blades. The robotic solution answers several of the wind energy industry's future challenges, especially in the offshore environment: Health & safety of workers at sea and at heights; skill shortage to maintain the number of expected turbines; and the cost of maintaining larger turbines further from shore.

The six-legged crawler robot uses vacuum feet to stick to the turbine blade surface, and design allows it to conform to the blade's changing profile. Once fully operational, the robotics system could save between 30% and 50% of the costs compared to current rope access methods. (Image credits: BladeBUG)

Bringing experience from previous projects

EGGS has worked with a variety of robotics and mechanical engineering projects - and over 100 independent start-ups and scale-ups - to commercialise and develop products for production and industrial use. Their experience from delivering designs for extreme environments and professional users will provide valuable experience for collaborating with BladeBUG.

"It’s such an exciting opportunity to be able to work with BladeBUG to develop their capabilities. The type of technological advance and innovation that we see from them is going to support the green shift and improved sustainability within the offshore industry."

Kate Saunders, Senior Designer, EGGS Design