Inside Unmanned Systems

FEB-MAR 2016

Inside Unmanned Systems provides actionable business intelligence to decision-makers and influencers operating within the global UAS community. Features include analysis of key technologies, policy/regulatory developments and new product design.

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16 unmanned systems inside January/February 2016 AIR UTILITIES U tility inspection and repair is danger- ous work. Whether a lineman is fix- ing a high voltage line from a bucket truck or a helicopter pilot is hovering near a transmission tower to inspect it, there's plenty of opportunity for something to go wrong. With more than 450,000 miles of high-volt- age transmission lines in the U.S., according to the U.S. Department of Energy, just regular maintenance poses a significant risk to both workers and the power grid. To limit the risk to employees and improve re- liab ility as well as save costs, utility companies such as Dominion Virginia Power, Southern Company and Duke Energy—plus a number of unmanned aircraft manufacturers—have been researching how Unmanned Aircraft Systems (UAS) might be used for routine inspections and other tasks like supporting storm repairs. UAS, more commonly called drones, can be used in all facets of the utilities indus- tr y from power generation to transmission and distribution, said Jeremy Byatt of ING Robotic Aviation. "Maintaining the power infrastructure is highly complicated, difficult and expensive. As a society we do not tolerate blackouts, brownouts or temporary interruptions in power. Reliability is expected," Byatt said. "Drones are one of the most cost effective, safest and best ways to collect the data required for monitoring and inspection." Dominion Starts Utility Inspection with UAS As UAS technology is still pretty new to the utilities industry, most companies interested in incorporating it into their routine are still re- searching just exactly what it can do. Dominion Virginia Power is one of those companies. So far they've completed proof of concept testing with the Mid-Atlantic Aviation Partnership (MAAP), one of the six UAS test ranges for- mally supporting the Federal Aviation Admin- istration's (FAA's) effort to integrate unmanned technology into the national airspace. by Renee Knight Photos courtesy of www.dslrpros.com and Duke Energy THE POWER OF Utility companies and drone manufacturers are actively experimenting with unmanned aircraft for power grid inspections, repair support and other tasks. With the safety and cost advantages becoming increasingly clear, many fi rms are already prepping to incorporate Unmanned Aircraft Systems (UAS) into their regular operations. UAS BY THE NUMBERS $18–33 billion The annual cost of power outages in the U.S. as the result of lost output and wages, spoiled inventory, delayed production and damage to grid infrastructure. Source: energy.gov DJI Spreading Wings S1000

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