Hotline of power engineering specialists:
IDGC of Centre is implementing a project for comprehensive diagnostics of overhead electrical power lines with the use of unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs). This project aims to develop a system of diagnostics, prevention and liquidation of emergency situations in the electric grid complex of the company.
The use of unmanned aerial vehicles to monitor power lines allows to reduce the cost of the diagnostics. The use of UAVs allows to determine the technical condition of overhead lines, accurately plan the clearing and widening of ROWs, and monitor the status of work performed.
The aerial monitoring system of power lines is most actively used at IDGC of Centre — Tverenergo division. Monitoring of territories along the 35 kV overhead lines «Zubtsov — Pogoreloye» and 35 kV «Gorodische», which pass through woodland with difficult terrain and have a lot of hard to reach places, is carried out using a UAV «Ptero». As a result of the monitoring data were obtained on the status of power lines, performed ROW clearing and extension, and defects of poles.
In preparation for the 2013/2014 autumn-winter period, in the near future in the Tver region a flyover of the 35 kV overhead line «White Zharki» and 110 kV «Bologoye — Poplavinets» will be made.
As Deputy Chief Engineer for managing electric grid facilities of IDGC of Centre Evgeny Turapin underlined: «The use of drones has been transferred from the test flights to demonstrate the effectiveness of such diagnostics to performing complex activities of monitoring the state of power supply facilities. With certainty I can say that the scope of use of such options of diagnostics by power grid companies in the future will only increase.»