In the operation and maintenance of the power system, industrial drones have become the core equipment to ensure the safety of the power grid with their high-altitude inspection and precise detection capabilities. Power inspection drones are equipped with high-power zoom lenses (200x optical zoom), infrared thermal imagers, and ultraviolet discharge detectors, which can detect transmission lines and substation equipment with millimeter-level accuracy: By using infrared imaging to monitor the temperature of the wire joints in real time, potential hazards such as poor contact can be detected in advance; using ultraviolet detection to locate the discharge position of insulators to avoid power outages caused by equipment failures. Its endurance time reaches 90 minutes, and a single flight can inspect 50 kilometers of lines, covering complex sections such as mountains and across rivers, with an efficiency more than 10 times that of manual inspection.
The intelligent inspection mode of drones supports fully automatic operation: By importing the GIS data of the power grid, the system automatically plans the inspection route, and the drone flies according to the preset path, and real-time transmits high-definition images and detection data back. The AI recognition algorithm can automatically analyze defects such as broken strands of wires and corrosion of metal fittings, with a recognition accuracy of more than 95%, greatly reducing the work intensity of manual image interpretation. After extreme weather (such as typhoons, ice and snow disasters), the drone can quickly take off to check the damage of the lines, provide accurate positioning for emergency repairs, and shorten the power outage restoration time.
Compared with traditional manual tower inspection, drone operation does not require power outages, is not limited by terrain, and more importantly, avoids the risks of high-altitude operations, liberating inspection personnel from high-risk environments. With the rapid construction of ultra-high voltage power grids, power inspection drones are becoming a standard configuration of smart grids. Their data is deeply integrated with the Internet of Things platform, promoting the transformation of power grid operation and maintenance from "post-event repair" to "pre-event prevention." From overhead lines to substations, from power grids on the plains to transmission corridors on the plateaus, drones use the power of technology to protect the safety of the energy arteries and provide a solid guarantee for the stable operation of the global power system.
