Science & Tech · Big Tech & Internet · 2 hrs ago
Drones inspect São Paulo high-voltage lines for faults
Enel is using sensor-equipped drones to inspect high-voltage power lines in São Paulo, Brazil.
The company says it has completed about 759 inspection flights to find damage and problems that could lead to failures.
The drones take detailed images that can reveal issues such as overheating connections, cracked insulators, loose bolts and broken wires.
They can also inspect hard-to-reach areas, and their use reduces the need for maintenance teams to work at the sites.
The inspections found 19 hot spots on five transmission lines, allowing crews to act before problems became more serious.
In August, one inspection plan covered about 806 kilometres of lines and structures; Enel also uses helicopters during emergencies or extreme weather to assess damage more quickly.
Drones equipped with sensors are inspecting São Paulo’s high-voltage networks to identify maintenance needs and potential faults.
Enel says about 759 inspection flights have been carried out.
The drones use high-resolution thermal and RGB cameras and LiDAR sensors to examine equipment and map vegetation and network structures.
Inspections have identified 19 overheating points across five transmission lines, allowing crews to act before problems became serious.
Enel says drone use reduces field interventions and inspection mobilization time, improving safety for maintenance teams.
- Who
- Enel is using sensor-equipped drones to inspect its high-voltage network.
- What
- The drones identify maintenance needs and potential faults in network equipment.
- When
- The inspections are ongoing; about 759 flights had been completed by the time of the report.
- Where
- São Paulo, Brazil.
- Why
- Drones can inspect urban areas, dense vegetation, substations and hard-to-reach locations, while reducing the need for field interventions.
This story does not have two clearly opposing sides.
One inspection plan analyzed about 806 kilometers of lines and structures.
About 759 inspection flights had been carried out, identifying 19 overheating points across five transmission lines.
- Inspection flights
- About 759
- Lines and structures analyzed
- About 806 kilometers
- Overheating points found
- 19
- Transmission lines with overheating points
- 5
- Inspection technology
- LiDAR sensors, thermal cameras and high-resolution RGB cameras