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
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Spreading Wings
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