The UK’s SP Electricity North West (SP ENW) is to trial remotely piloted drones for post-storm fault finding and powerline condition monitoring under a 12-month project with Skyports Drone Services and eSmart Systems.
The project, known as VOLT (Visual Overhead Line Tracking), will deploy four drone-in-a-box systems at substations in the Lake District in the north of the UK. The drones will be operated beyond visual line of sight (BVLOS) from Skyports’ Remote Operations Centre in Buckinghamshire, more than 200 miles away.
The systems will be available around the clock and will capture data that is streamed to SP ENW’s control centre. eSmart Systems will process the data using its Grid Vision software to identify potential faults and provide asset condition information.
The drones will be used for rapid inspections following storms, where access for ground patrols can be difficult. They will also conduct routine patrols along powerlines to identify issues including loose connections, insulator damage, overheating, failing hardware and vegetation encroachment.
Skyports will manage regulatory approvals, deployment of the drone infrastructure, remote piloting and data capture and transfer, while eSmart Systems will process the inspection data. The service will operate alongside SP ENW’s existing fault-response procedures.
The project is supported through Ofgem’s Network Innovation Allowance, which funds innovation projects by distribution network operators focused on the energy transition and consumer vulnerability.
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Skyports Drone Services
Image: Skyports Drone Services
