Power company adopts AI and drones in grid inspection and maintenance

State Grid Chifeng Power Supply Company has adopted artificial intelligence and drones in grid inspection and maintenance, leading to a nearly six-fold increase in efficiency compared to traditional manual methods.

Due to a vast territory, a large north-south span, long line maintenance radii, and a high number of towers, the Chifeng area has posed a significant challenge to manual inspections.

The adoption of adaptive drones has effectively addressed the issues of complex line environments in mountainous and desert areas. It fills blind spots missed during manual patrols, and significantly reduces the pressure on personnel.

Relying on advanced algorithms and high-precision sensors, adaptive drone technology can autonomously optimize the inspection strategy and routes based on the real-time environment of the line and the status of the equipment.

The drones can also identify critical photo points such as cross-arms, insulator strings, and hardware fittings, and conduct pre-analysis of preset photo points on the tower.

This technology has not only reduced the workload of maintenance personnel, but also enabled automated processing of the entire workflow.

Looking forward, the power company will continue to improve the adaptive drone inspection technology and explore application in a broader range of use cases, including assessment of equipment status, emergency inspections after disasters, and three-dimensional modeling of transmission lines.

These efforts aim to elevate the level of intelligence across the entire grid operation and maintenance process, providing robust technical support for building a smart power grid.