National Grid autonomous drones: what are they used for?
As technology advances, it continues to transform the way we operate in our daily lives. One such innovation that is becoming increasingly popular in the energy sector is the use of autonomous drones. National Grid has been using these drones to improve their operations. But what precisely are these drones used for? In this article, we’ll explore National Grid’s autonomous drones and their various purposes, from monitoring power lines to inspecting gas sites. We’ll also examine the benefits of using drones for these tasks and how they minimize safety risks and decrease costs while maximizing efficiency.
How does National Grid use drones?
The National Grid UK is increasingly using drones as part of its activities monitoring the condition of the transmission network. Drones could support the National Grid in keeping the grid reliable and safe in the future. The challenge while moving the UK one step further towards a low carbon future is to ensure reliability and value for the consumer. The National Grid is using autonomous drones for visual monitoring of the overhead transmission lines to inspect the power lines and pylons, which are often made of glass or ceramic.
The use of drones for inspection of transmission networks is an exciting way that drones could support us in keeping the grid reliable and safe. National Grid’s head of strategy and innovation, Vidyadhar Peesapati, said that “drones could save millions in maintenance work.” The drones are fitted with an e-field sensor system, which allows them to fly near to a pylon and analyse the insulators’ e-field profiles.
The e-field sensor system is an innovation developed by the University of Manchester and funded by Ofgem’s Network Innovation Allowance. This sensor system means there are even more exciting ways that drones could support us in keeping the grid reliable and safe in the future. National Grid is also testing computer-manned drones that can save millions in maintenance work.
The National Grid is testing an airborne system that can carry a sensor technology package to inspect a pylon using electric field sensors. The drones could inspect the digital twins for a range of assets, such as electricity transmission lines, and telecoms and railway networks. The drone operators will digitally reconstruct each pylon to create data optimal for automated processing. This system means there are even more exciting ways that drones could support us in keeping the grid reliable and safe in the future.
The ambition of this project helps us address the challenge while moving the UK one step further towards a low carbon future that ensures reliability and value for the consumer. The drones are being used to perform live inspections of overhead transmission lines, and the e-field profiles they gather can be used to assess the condition of the transmission network. The drones are a part of activities monitoring the condition of the transmission network, which ensures resource efficiencies in transmission network monitoring.
Drone sensor system
The sensor system allows drones to perform live inspections of overhead transmission lines and collect e-field profiles of insulators.
The drone sensor system is an innovation developed by the University of Manchester and funded by Ofgem’s Network Innovation Allowance. The sensor system uses electric field sensors that allow drones to fly near a pylon and analyse the insulators’ e-field profiles. The e-field profiles are then used to assess the condition of the transmission network.
The use of drones and the drone sensor system helps National Grid ensure resource efficiencies in transmission network monitoring. The drones are fitted with an e-field sensor system, which allows them to inspect the power lines and pylons, which are often made of glass or ceramic.
The e-field sensor system allows the drones to create data optimal for automated processing. The drone operators will digitally reconstruct each pylon to create data optimal for automated processing. The data can then be used to create digital twins for a range of assets, such as electricity transmission lines, telecoms and railway networks.
The use of drones with the drone sensor system means that National Grid can inspect the transmission network quickly and safely. The use of drones can save time and resources compared to traditional inspection methods. The drones can also inspect areas that may be difficult to access, such as transmission lines in remote or hard-to-reach locations.
Benefits of using drones for network inspection
1. Cost-Effective: Drones are cost-effective as they can cover large areas in a short amount of time. This will help reduce the cost associated with traditional inspection methods, such as helicopters or physical inspections.
2. Increased Safety: Drone inspections are safer than traditional inspections as they eliminate the risks of working at heights or in dangerous environments.
3. Improved Efficiency: Drones can quickly and efficiently capture high-quality images and data of the transmission network. This will help identify potential issues and faults before they become major problems, improving the network’s overall reliability and reducing downtime.
4. Access to Difficult Areas: Drones can easily access difficult-to-reach or inaccessible areas such as remote or mountainous terrain, coastlines, and forests.
5. Environmentally Friendly: Drone inspections are environmentally friendly compared to traditional inspection methods as they do not require large vehicles or machinery, reducing carbon emissions.
6. Real-Time Data: Drone inspections provide real-time data, enabling engineers to quickly analyze the data and take necessary corrective action. This will help improve the network’s performance and minimize the risk of outages.
Overall, the use of drones to monitor the condition of the transmission network in the UK is a cost-effective and efficient way of ensuring the reliability and safety of the network.
Conclusion
In conclusion, National Grid’s use of autonomous drones is a testament to how technology can revolutionize the energy sector. Drones equipped with e-field sensor systems have allowed National Grid to monitor the condition of the transmission network quickly, safely, and cost-effectively. The benefits of using drones, such as increased safety, improved efficiency, access to difficult areas, and real-time data, have transformed traditional inspection methods. By using drones, National Grid can identify potential issues and faults before they become major problems, improving the network’s overall reliability and reducing downtime.
The use of drones with the drone sensor system has enabled National Grid to ensure resource efficiencies in transmission network monitoring, making it an environmentally friendly solution that supports the UK’s low carbon future. National Grid’s use of drones is a promising development that has the potential to transform the energy sector’s operations, ensuring a more reliable and sustainable energy supply for the future.