Handling of a wind turbine blade

A root end manipulator configured to manipulate, such as rotate and/or elevate, a wind turbine blade having a longitudinal axis and comprising a root end, a root region, an airfoil region with a tip, a pressure side, a suction side and a chord line extending between a leading edge and a trailing edge;

• the root end having a root end surface, an inner root surface, and an outer root surface, the root end surface being ring formed in a root end plane substantially perpendicular to the longitudinal axis;
• the root end manipulator comprising:
• a base structure configured to contact the ground and a root end interface connected to the base structure,
• wherein the root end interface is configured for cooperation with a root end element attached to the root end of the wind turbine blade,
• wherein the root end interface comprises a first interface element having a first primary end configured for the cooperation with the root end element,
• wherein the first interface element comprises a fastening element at the first primary end configured for fastening the first interface element to a manipulator attachment point of the root end element, and
• wherein the fastening element comprises a hole for receiving a pin to extend through a respective hole of the root end element.

A blade manipulation system, comprising:

• a root end element for attachment to a root end of a wind turbine blade having a longitudinal axis and comprising the root end, a root region, an airfoil region with a tip, a pressure side, a suction side and a chord line extending between a leading edge and a trailing edge, the root end having a root end surface, an inner root surface, and an outer root surface, the root end surface being ring formed in a root end plane substantially perpendicular to the longitudinal axis, the root end element comprising:
• a plurality of attachment points for attachment to the root end, the plurality of attachment points being positioned along an attachment point circle in a root end element plane;
• and
• a plurality of manipulator attachment points configured for cooperation with a root end interface of a root end manipulator, the plurality of manipulator attachment points including a first manipulator attachment point. a second manipulator attachment point and a third manipulator attachment point, the plurality of manipulator attachment points being positioned along a manipulator attachment point circle in the root end element plane, and wherein the manipulator attachment point circle is smaller than the attachment point circle,
• wherein the root end element is configured to support the root end of the wind turbine blade;
• and
• the root end manipulator, wherein the root end manipulator is configured to manipulate the wind turbine blade, the root end manipulator comprising:
• a base structure configured to contact the ground and a root end interface connected to the base structure,
• wherein the root end interface is configured for cooperation with the root end element attached to the root end of the wind turbine blade.

A root end element for attachment to a root end of a wind turbine blade having a longitudinal axis and comprising the root end, a root region, an airfoil region with a tip, a pressure side, a suction side and a chord line extending between a leading edge and a trailing edge;

• the root end having a root end surface, an inner root surface, and an outer root surface, the root end surface being ring formed in a root end plane substantially perpendicular to the longitudinal axis, the root end element comprising:
• a plurality of attachment points for attachment to the root end, the plurality of attachment points being positioned along an attachment point circle in a root end element plane;
• and
• an inner rim forming an inner rim circle in the root end element plane,
• wherein the inner rim comprises an inner rim surface with an inner rim surface normal in the root end element plane, the inner rim surface having a width perpendicular to the root end element plane,
• wherein the inner rim comprises a first inner rim surface with a first inner rim surface normal spanning a first angle with the root end element plane,
• wherein the inner rim comprises a second inner rim surface with a second inner rim surface normal spanning a second angle with the root end element plane, and
• wherein the root end element is configured to support the root end of the wind turbine blade.