How far is smart rotor research and what steps need to be taken to build a full-scale prototype?

During the last decade research on the field of smart rotor has advanced significantly. Fundamental aerodynamics, structural and control concepts have been established and simulators created for distributed flaps on wind turbine blades, which are considered the most promising option. Also a proof of concept has been done under laboratory conditions. However, the results obtained under these conditions can only be partially transfer to the real application as the control authority of smart rotors is limited compared to full pitch control. The steps that need to be taken before smart rotors can be successfully exploited are in the design of reliable systems that can operate under environmental conditions without inspections. Besides that, other potential advantages of distributed control need to be established such as the effect on other components of a wind turbine for example the gear box or the power system. Finally, it is necessary to investigate what benefits can be achieved if blades are designed with distributed control right from the start instead of applying control schemes to already existing turbines.