The drone imagery will support an NGED innovation project testing whether AI and computer vision can identify corrosion and other visible deterioration on pole-mounted transformers.
Team UAV announced on October 21, 2026 that it has completed a drone inspection program for National Grid Electricity Distribution (NGED). The UK drone services company captured high-resolution imagery of 500 pole-mounted transformers across the NGED network. That imagery will support an innovation project exploring how artificial intelligence could improve the way NGED inspects and maintains electrical infrastructure.
The Network Innovation Allowance (NIA) funds the project, which will examine how drone imagery and computer vision can identify visible signs of deterioration, including corrosion. As a result, NGED could gain a better understanding of asset condition, spot potential issues earlier and make more informed maintenance decisions. Team UAV developed and delivered the inspection program. Meanwhile, Softwire, a fellow NGED supplier, is developing the computer vision models and a prototype web application that will use the imagery to assess transformer condition.
How Team UAV planned the transformer drone inspections
Before inspections began, Team UAV ran a series of technical trials to identify the most suitable equipment, camera positions and capture techniques. A central goal was a consistent method of collecting imagery, so that photographs taken at different sites would work effectively for AI analysis.
Working from NGED’s national asset list, Team UAV planned and carried out inspections across Cornwall, Wales and the Midlands. Where access restrictions, vegetation or missing infrastructure prevented an inspection, the team identified suitable locations and alternative assets. In addition, Team UAV built a custom GIS database and delivery process. Crews uploaded imagery from the field, and the system linked each set of images to an individual transformer location alongside survey information and metadata.
“Inspecting large numbers of assets across different locations presents a real challenge for electricity network operators, particularly when access is restricted or infrastructure is difficult to reach. For this project, our focus was on developing a consistent and repeatable approach to drone inspections, ensuring the imagery we collected was suitable for the next stage of AI analysis,” said Mark DeGiovanni, technical lead at Team UAV. “Working with NGED and Softwire has been a great opportunity to demonstrate how specialist drone operations and data science can work together. By combining our experience in infrastructure inspections and data capture with Softwire’s expertise in AI and software development, we’re helping to explore a more efficient approach to assessing asset condition, with the potential to support better maintenance decisions across electricity networks.”
Next phase of the AI project
With the inspection program complete, Softwire will use the imagery to develop and test its AI models and prototype application. The companies expect the initial phase of the wider project to be completed by the end of 2026.
“We are delighted to be working with NGED and Team UAV on an innovation project with the potential to improve how hard-to-reach assets are inspected and managed. It is a powerful example of how data science and engineering expertise can be applied to complex real-world problems, supporting better operational decisions and the long-term resilience of essential public infrastructure,” said Marcus Gardiner, client director for energy and utilities at Softwire.
“Pole-mounted transformers play a critical role in delivering electricity to homes and businesses, particularly in rural communities. This innovation project will explore whether aerial imagery, AI, and computer vision can automate aspects of the condition assessment process, generating more consistent condition data to inform asset health reporting and investment decisions. Working with Softwire and Team UAV, we will test the technology on an initial set of transformers and assess its potential to support future network asset management,” said Favour Eboh, innovation engineer at National Grid Electricity Distribution.
NGED owns and operates the local electricity network across the Midlands, South West England and South Wales. It is a distribution network operator, separate from National Grid Electricity Transmission. Team UAV, founded in 2013, is part of PDG Aviation Services.
More information is available at Team UAV.
