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Lightning Doesn’t Wait. Why Should Your Wind Turbine Inspections?

High above the ground, wind turbines stand tall, turning gusts of air into megawatts of clean power. But there’s one invisible threat that can undo it all in a single strike - lightning.

Every year, thousands of turbines face lightning strikes, and while the built-in Lightning Protection System (LPS) is designed to defend them, the real question is: Is it always ready when the storm arrives?

That’s where inspections come in. And until recently, those inspections were slow, risky, and expensive.

From Weeks of Downtime to a Single Day

Traditionally, testing a turbine’s lightning protection meant rope access, scaffolding, handheld meters, and multiple technicians. Each tower could take days. Multiply that by a wind farm of 100 turbines, and you’re looking at months of downtime, lost energy, and mounting costs.

Now imagine completing up to 10 turbines in a single day - without scaffolding, without risky climbs, and without extended downtime. That’s the power of modern full-circuit testing.

How It Works

Instead of sending technicians to climb turbines, advanced aerial inspection tools carry out the full-circuit test directly on the lightning receptors:

  • Needle Probe Contact → Uses a specialized needle probe that establishes an electrical connection even on oxidated surfaces, ensuring consistent and reliable contact.

  • Consistent Force Application → The angular compliant probe applies a constant force of 30 N, guaranteeing accurate and repeatable measurements.

  • Complete Circuit Testing → The entire lightning protection path - from the receptor down to the ground - is tested in one seamless process.

  • High-Accuracy Data Logging → Measurements are digitally captured and stored for traceability, audits, and preventive maintenance planning.

The result? A 10× faster inspection process that still delivers precise, auditable data.
Video Source: Voliro Website

Why It Matters to You

  • More Uptime, More Energy: Cutting downtime by weeks means turbines keep spinning - and profits keep flowing.

  • Lower Costs, Smaller Crews: Just 1–2 operators can handle a full wind farm, reducing manpower and logistics.

  • Safer Operations: No risky rope climbs or scaffolding setups -inspections happen from a safe distance.

  • Future-Ready Approach: The same technology can evolve into other advanced inspections, from thickness measurements to corrosion checks.

Beyond Wind Energy

Yes, wind turbines are the big story here - but they’re not the only ones that need lightning protection. From oil & gas plants to telecom towers and power distribution centers, industries everywhere can benefit from faster, safer, and more reliable inspections.

The Bottom Line

Lightning won’t wait for your maintenance schedule. And now, it doesn’t have to.

With faster, safer, and smarter lightning protection inspections, you can transform a time-consuming headache into a streamlined process - saving time, reducing risk, and ensuring your assets are storm-ready, every time.

At Volar Alta, we believe inspections shouldn’t slow you down - they should power you forward. Reach us at info@volaralta.com to schedule your meeting today.

Wind Turbine Inspection with Volar Alta


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