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National Grid is developing drone-mounted technology which will allow it to carry out inspections to analyse the electric field of high voltage overhead line insulators on its transmission network.
The three-year project, which is being developed alongside the University of Manchester, costs £1.1 million and is being funded by Ofgem’s Network Innovation Allowance (NIA).
It aims to develop an airborne system that can carry out real-time monitoring of the condition of high voltage insulators, saving an estimated £2.8 million over a 15 year period compared to using traditional monitoring methods such as ground patrols.
Insulators are often made of glass or ceramic, and protect pylons from the current on the power line to prevent the tower becoming live.
The electric fields (e-fields) they produce have distinct profiles, which are altered by defects on the insulator.
National Grid said drones could be used to fly a purpose built electric field sensor system near to a pylon to analyse insulators’ e-field profiles and assess their health, without the need for circuit outages, lineworkers scaling pylons, or insulator samples being sent for forensic analysis.
The project will also create digital twins for a range of insulators to define e-field profiles under different conditions and design algorithms to best assess insulators’ condition.
Nicola Todd, head of strategy and innovation and National Grid Electricity Transmission, said: “We’re increasingly using drones as part of our activities monitoring the condition of our transmission network, and innovations like this e-field sensing system mean there are even more exciting ways that drones could support us in keeping the grid reliable and safe in the future.
“We look forward to working with Manchester’s experts and test facilities to develop new monitoring tech that will help us keep the network in good health while saving consumers money.”
Vidyadhar Peesapati from the University of Manchester said: “With demand increasing, we need to maximise the resilience of overhead lines, the spine of UK electricity.
“The ambition of this project helps us address this challenge while moving the UK one step further towards a low carbon future that ensures reliability and value for the consumer.”
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