Improving ‘Our Lives) ‘S s 1S) € How DronesHelp KeepThe Lights On (NAPSA)—Electricity is something that many take for granted, but without cnomnr eesmeepETTET INTE it, we wouldn’t be able to go about our everyday routines. That’s whyelectric companies work so hard to maintain the powergrid. Today, electric companies are exploring a new wayto protect the grid from any disruptions to our power. Falling trees and overgrown vegetation can interfere with powerlines and cause outages. For this reason, careful monitoring ofall vegetation near electric companyassets is a very import- ant part of electric companies’ mainte- nancestrategies. How DronesFit into the Equation Traditionally, electric companies have used a combination of helicopter flights and field crews to inspect their power lines. Electric companies are now looking to add long-distance drone flights into the mix to complementexisting methods. Drone technology and the big data that drones collect have immense potential to improvereliability and efficiency by streamlining the inspection of large assets such as transmission and distribution lines, as well as generation assets (e.g., conventional power plants) and renewables(e.g., wind and solar). Drone inspections allow electric companies to map the trees growing neartheirlines to determinethe height, species and distance from the power lines for eachtree. The data for each individual tree is then addedinto an algorithm that automatically calculates the future growth rate of the tree and when it would be at risk forfalling or growing into the power lines. With each successive inspection of the powerline, this growth algorithm becomes even more precise. This information helps electric companies target the trees that need maintenance to prevent them from interfering with power lines as well as help them plan whenthat maintenance needsto be scheduled. Drones help electric companies maintain the powergrid more efficiently so that they can offer customers better service. Drones can also detect problems with the different technical components of the grid, such as corroded components, poor connections and electrical discharge. This allowselectric companies to focus their maintenance budgets where they will make the most impact. The Edison Electric Institute and Sharper Shape Partnership Although these electric company drone inspections have already proven successful in Europe, long-distance drone flights have yet to be implemented for this purpose in the United States. That’s where the partnership between drone service company Sharper Shape and the Edison Electric Institute comes into play. The EEI Sharper Utility partnership aimsto fasttrack commercial drone inspections of powerlines in the U.S. In fact, the pair recently submitted a waiver application to the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) for permission to demonstrate droneflights with select U.S. electric companies. Drones are one more tool that can help electric companies conduct streamlined powerline inspections. Utilizing drones can help improve the reliability, resiliency and security ofthe powergrid, which ultimately benefits electricity customers.
