Drones for Energy

Drone system for long-distance powerline inspection

Today, large helicopters inspect Denmark’s 7000km of powerlines, which is a costly and complex process. If we could use drones to detect and report faults such as corrosions, rust or other damages on powerlines, we would have a safer, cheaper and more efficient inspection.

Long-distance powerline inspections would however require drones that can fly autonomously and have long battery endurance.

Drones for Energy aims to develop a collaborative, autonomous and long-flying drone system that can inspect powerlines by doing an on-the-fly image processing and that can charge its battery directly from the powerlines.

Project Details

Researchers from SDU UAS Center aim to:

Use powerline cables as an energy source to charge the drones’ batteries without modifying the power grid’s infrastructure.
Build a drone system that can operate in a harsh environment (high-voltage cables).
Design an advanced mechanism for autonomous landing and take-off on/from a cable using artificial intelligence (AI) and deep learning techniques.
Develop machine-learning algorithms to follow autonomously power line cables while avoiding obstacles.

Future perspective

The energy-harvesting drone will be offered to powerline operators to inspect the power grid accurately, frequently and autonomously.

Other business markets could also be open for the long-flying, energy-harvesting drone such as the transportation sector or within deliverance of goods flying between cities/countries.

The inspection software can additionally be used to detect faults e.g. on gas tubes, overhead cables and in agriculture.