System and method for optimizing wind farm performance using unmanned aerial vehicles

A method for optimizing performance of a wind farm having at least one wind turbine, the method comprising:

• maneuvering a first unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) having at least one sensor to a first location near the at least one wind turbine of the wind farm;
• collecting, via the at least one sensor of the first UAV, data corresponding to one or more wind conditions at the at least one wind turbine;
• receiving the data corresponding to the one or more wind conditions at the at least one wind turbine via a controller;
• generating, via a machine learning algorithm programmed in the controller, a control action for the at least one wind turbine using the data corresponding to the one or more wind condition at the at least one wind turbine;
• implementing, via the controller, the control action;
• generating, via the machine learning algorithm, a prioritized list of desired data that instructs a second location to retrieve the data, wherein the second location comprises an area with the greatest uncertainty and highest value for use in improving the machine learning algorithm;
• and
• maneuvering the first UAV to the second location.