Automated Drone Inspection System Launched
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Oak Ridge National Laboratory (ORNL) has launched an automated drone inspection system designed to monitor the power grid for arc flashes, overheating, weather damage, and other anomalies that can cause equipment failures. By following tight GPS coordinates, the drones can be deployed across a multitude of terrains, not the least of which is difficult-to-reach remote locations.
How ORNL’s Automated Drone Inspection System Works
The drone system can best be described as 2-pronged. The first prong relies first on a scout drone to conduct an initial assessment. This could be part of a pre-programmed route or in response to a damage-causing event (i.e., fallen trees causing downed wires, a lightning strike causing an arc flash, pole damage from a car crash, etc.).
The scout drone then automatically arranges the second prong – deploying specialist drones to the scene as needed. The specialist drones collect data, gather video and images, and generally assess the situation to determine and communicate corrective steps.
This 2-pronged system highlights a key benefit of the ORNL automated drone inspection system – machine-to-machine communication. By having multiple types of drones, each of which fulfilling a unique purpose, actions can be executed without human intervention.
Simply put, the drones are able to communicate with each other to provide a more holistic view of the situation. This marks an improvement over sensors which do not necessarily communicate with each other. The drones can also expedite response by gathering, analyzing and communicating data in real time.
All in all, I think this is a tremendous development for the electric utility industry. The drones can not only conduct automated damage assessment, but they can also be utilized to conduct regular inspections and maintenance to prevent failures from occurring due to age or deterioration.
Hopefully, technologies like ORNL’s automated drone inspection system will become ubiquitous in the future. If so, then the world of emergency preparedness, and storm response and restoration, will become a little more effective and efficient.
