Every day, researchers are discovering the potential
uses of drones. Companies are also investing in the research to make drones
more useful for their own business. Even the Electric Power Research Institute (EPRI)
has carried out test flights in order to ascertain the utility of drones in the
assessment of any damage that could have occurred in the electric line.
There is strong evidence that drone technology can be
used to keep electric utilities in peak operational condition. Drones can be
equipped with payloads such as cameras and data gathering equipment to sense damage
sustained by high power transmission lines in the event of a natural disaster,
such as hurricanes or tornados.
The advantages of using drones to assess the damage
will include:
·
Timely information about a fault occurring in the
transmission line
·
Accurate assessment regarding the damage sustained by
the transmission line
·
Accurate assessment of the location of the damage
This will help the electric utilities to send the repair
crew to the area that is experiencing the issue, allowing them to restore the power
within a very short time period.
The potential of drones in electric utilities is
immense and that has been already proven during the research by EPRI. However,
one thing that still remains to be determined is the combination of the
aircraft and payload that should be used to give the best results in this
field.
There were two systems that were tested by EPRI namely
Aeryon Scout and the Adaptive Flight Hornet Maxi. The common feature of these
unmanned aerial systems is that they both are rotary wing systems. They both executed
high resolution imaging of the components of the electrical system.
According to EPRI the task does not get finished by
determining the best combination of aircraft and payload, instead the work
starts from there. This is because the work of integrating the data and all the
information that has been gathered using the UAS in accordance with the utility
operations is far more complex.
There has to be a seamless interface with the utility
information technology as well as development of the technology that helps the
crew members in the field to analyze the data received and interpret the way it
should be.
However, whether it is a government agency or a
private firm, all have to obtain a special airworthiness certificate which is
the only way to obtain permission for flying drones for operations such as those
for an electric utility. The FAA has relaxed the rules a bit regarding the
flying of drones, but for the safety of the general population the
airworthiness certificate is not issued for all. The day is not very far when
most electric utilities will be using drones for maintaining continuous supply
of power to their consumers.
www.UAVLance.com, the one stop shop for all your UAV needs.
LOOKING FOR A DRONE
PILOT?
Simply create a job and watch as the top pilots in the
country bid for your work. And payments are held in escrow, so pilots get paid
on time, and you don't release payment until you're 100% satisfied!
There is no job too big or complex. There are pilots on
UAVLance qualified for EVERY aerial need.
NEED TO RENT A DRONE
FOR BUSINESS OR FOR FUN?
At UAVLance.com, Drone Rental companies across the country
compete for your business. Find the lowest rate on that perfect drone you've
always wanted to fly. Want to earn extra money? Setup an account and rent your
drone today! It's that simple.
INTERESTED IN DRONE
RACING?
UAVLance is the first website to enable organizers to setup
and manage races, create stunning web pages, invite racers and sponsors to
register, and automate payouts. Competitions for all skill levels.
No comments:
Post a Comment