FEATURE ELECTRICAL SAFETY Cable pulling on SSE Grid Route
WHY DRONE TECHNOLOGY PLAYS A CRUCIAL ROLE IN ELECTRICAL SAFETY
L
arge-scale project planning, delivery and upkeep often calls for big budgets and even
bigger lead-times. Presently, drones are being utilised by engineering firms across the globe to gather data across all stages of utility schemes. Add to that the potential savings by utilising
drone technology throughout the product lifecycle, and how much more accessible the power source will be to energy-conscious firms looking to offset their carbon emissions or meet other corporate sustainability goals, and the opportunities for implementation of the technology knows little bounds.
RENEWABLE POWER GENERATION There is no doubt that access to the infrastructure associated with renewable energy generation can be tricky. Unsurprisingly, the most efficient wind farms are often found offshore or at the top of mountains – places which do not offer easy access for maintenance and inspection crews. Rather than having to painstakingly examine
an entire biomass or hydroelectric power plant or needing to ascend to the top of a turbine to assess the longevity of its blades – engineers can keep their feet on the ground while carrying out crucial routine checks. A similar efficiency emerges with photovoltaic
panels too, given that drones capture more than just video. Heat-mapping cameras can pick up
Cable route from Coupar Angus
Saving hours of manpower, the unrivalled access and efficiencies offered by drone technology has been revered by many industries, particularly when it comes to planning and construction. The manoeuvrability of the ‘eye in the sky’, and its ability to cover vast expanses of terrain in a relatively short period of time, makes it a staple component of high voltage power contracting firm, Smith Brothers’ toolkit. Here, business development manager Danielle Tile explains why the technology can play a crucial role in electrical safety and efficiencies during the design, build, inspection and maintenance process
faults across the vast expanse of solar farms, which may not always be visible to the naked eye.
BATTERY STORAGE SITE It is all well-and-good if the source of the power is operating at maximum efficiency, but if there is a problem further along the power food chain, you are simply taking one step forward and two steps back. Drones offer a chance to streamline the entire
process when it comes to routine inspections – particularly on large or hard-to-reach projects. Whether it be the examination of a battery storage site, or an assessment of a live power line, their level of access is unrivalled. For Smith Brothers, the complexities and
dangers associated with high-voltage maintenance calls for extensive planning and inspection prior to any work being carried out. By employing drone technology to undertake the first stage of examinations, a STOR facility or power plant – for example – can be assessed from overhead, without having to isolate equipment or disrupt day-to-day operations.
POWER LINE INSPECTION Drones cut the cost of power line inspection significantly – an important benefit given utilities companies are increasingly demanding more efficient processes which improve safety, reliability and reduce any ‘down-time’ associated with inspections. Whether carrying out a routine visit or looking
into potential damage following adverse weather, power lines present a number of challenges when it comes to inspection. Technology now enables engineers to cover miles of connections in a single day, providing quick and efficient access to these hard-to-reach places.
PLANT MAINTENANCE The complexities and dangers associated with high-voltage power plant maintenance call for extensive planning and inspection prior to
14 AUTUMN 2019 | INDUSTRIAL COMPLIANCE
work being carried out. By carrying out the first stage of inspection
work from the air, an electrical plant – for example – can be assessed from overhead, without having to isolate equipment or disrupt day-to-day operations.
CABLE ROUTE PLANNING Projects which require lengthy, cross-country connections offer up their own, unique challenges. At Smith Brothers, drones play a crucial role in the pre-construction preparation phase. The bird’s- eye-view highlights where there may be obstacles – such as woodlands, wetlands, water courses and railway lines – which need to be overcome during the cable-laying phase. The remote viewing capabilities of drones enable
engineers to carry out quick – and relatively inexpensive – inspections of large expanses of challenging terrain. Details which were previously difficult to obtain during the investigatory stages, provide engineers with a window of opportunity to speed up the entire design process and make cable route planning much more efficient. With the advantages of safely capturing images
and collecting data increasingly coming to the fore, Smith Brothers has completed more than 20 flights with its drone and has plans to put three more members of the team through the intensive, week-long training course to pilot these UAVs.
Smith Brothers
www.smithbrothersltd.co.uk / INDUSTRIALCOMPLIANCE Coupar Angus primary substation
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