Drones equipped with sensors for use on high-voltage power lines
EVO AG Introduces AI-Controlled Drones for High-Voltage Network Monitoring
EVO AG, a leading energy provider, is pioneering the use of AI-controlled drones for high-voltage network monitoring, marking a significant advancement in the development of a smart grid. These drones offer autonomous, precise, and real-time inspection of critical electrical infrastructure, revolutionising traditional manual inspections.
The drones, equipped with AI models, fly systematically along power lines and substations, collecting high-resolution data while automatically detecting faults or anomalies. This technology transforms time-consuming, risky, and inconsistent manual inspections into highly efficient, repeatable, and safer operations.
The benefits of AI-controlled drones for smart grid development are numerous:
- Enhanced Data Accuracy and Consistency: AI models trained to identify defects ensure that every inspection captures consistent and reliable data, reducing human error and variability.
- Faster Fault Detection and Maintenance: Onboard AI processes sensor data in real time, immediately flagging potential issues. This accelerates decision-making for maintenance teams, preventing outages and costly failures.
- Improved Safety and Efficiency: By replacing risky human inspections of high-voltage environments with autonomous drones, EVO AG minimises safety hazards. Inspections that once took days can be completed in hours, increasing operational uptime.
- Scalability and Continuous Monitoring: AI drones can autonomously scan extensive power networks repeatedly without fatigue, enabling persistent condition monitoring and data collection necessary for a responsive smart grid.
- Integration with Smart Grid Analytics: The high-quality data collected supports grid operators in predictive maintenance and optimization of energy flow, essential for dynamic load management and integration of distributed energy resources.
In the pilot project, 15 sensors are to be installed on selected network sections, with the test period lasting approximately one year. The sensors measure data such as current strength, voltage, conductor temperature, humidity, and sunlight in real-time. Previously, comparable work on the masts had to be done with the power line shut down, but now it can be done while the network is running.
The goal of this drone technology is to create transparency, improve efficiency, and contribute to higher supply security in the region. If successful, the technology will be used permanently for line monitoring. Schröder, a representative from EVO AG, states that line monitoring can be an important building block towards EVO's 110-kV future network.
The data collected will form the basis for a smart grid that can be monitored continuously. The goal is to determine reserve capacities more accurately, an important aspect given the growing energy demand in the city and district of Offenbach. The drone method reduces the effort required for comparable work on the masts significantly.
[1] EVO AG (2022). Press release: AI-controlled drones for high-voltage network monitoring. Retrieved from www.evo-ag.com/news
[2] Smart Grid Observer (2022). EVO AG pilots AI-controlled drones for high-voltage network monitoring. Retrieved from www.smartgridobserver.com/news
- What technology is EVO AG using to revolutionize high-voltage network monitoring?
- The AI-controlled drones equipped with AI models for fault detection and precision inspections.
