DDI inspects wind turbines by drone across Europe. Core service: lightning protection testing per IEC 61400-24, with in-house staff delivering a fixed-price report per turbine.
Towers are getting taller, rotor blades longer, rope access technicians scarcer. This is where DDI comes in: drone-based lightning protection testing to IEC 61400-24, no rope access. In-house, self-sufficient staff inspect in about 30 minutes per turbine, up to 15 a day, Europe-wide, fixed price.
The wind energy market is growing, and with it the pressure on all those responsible for its economic operation. Towers are getting taller, rotor blades longer and the requirements for safety, availability and cost-effectiveness are increasing. The focus is on inspection: if you don't know the condition of your turbine, you can neither plan nor optimise. Traditional methods are reaching their limits.
This is precisely where Deutsche Drohnen Inspektion GmbH (DDI) comes in. Founded in Dortmund in 2024, the company focuses on the wind market with the highest requirements for report quality and compliance with standards. Drone-based, without rope access, DDI offers:
- Flash protection inspection of rotor blades in accordance with IEC 61400-24
- Visual rotor blade inspection with damage assessment
- Tower inspection for corrosion, cracks and coating damage
- Neutral damage documentation for insurers
The mission statement: to make drone inspections as easy to commission as rope access technicians. In-house, trained personnel work completely autonomously on the system. At around 30 minutes per inspection and up to 15 inspections a day, DDI is more efficient than any conventional method, with reduced downtimes and minimised risk. In this way, DDI counteracts the shortage of rope access technicians and creates space for higher-value tasks.
Operators do not receive raw data, but structured reports with recommendations for action, comparable year after year and usable without rework. Dispensing with the repair business ensures the neutrality of every report. With its own measurement technology, DDI is transformed from a service provider into a technology provider, at a fixed price per system.