Having introduced the cleaning drone to the world in 2023, American drone maker Aquiline Drones (AD) and long-term partner Drone Volt SA have returned; this time with a drone that will inspect electrical power grids while actually perched on the power lines themselves.
The two companies have announced the launch of the LineDrone, which they say is a specialised unmanned aerial system – developed in collaboration with Hydro-Québec, Canada's largest energy producer - designed to revolutionise the inspection and maintenance of high- voltage power lines, by offering advanced, non-contact measurement solutions.
“The LineDrone is the only drone - globally, capable of landing on live high-voltage lines (315,000 volts / 2,000 A) to conduct inspections by traversing the power lines using a unique motorized rolling system – LineOhm and LineCore probes, to analyze and document the condition of overhead conductors without having to de-energize the line,” Aquiline said in a statement.
“The LineDrone is also engineered to perform critical diagnostics on live transmission lines using state-of-the-art sensors to conduct high-precision inspections, including resistance measurements, corrosion assessments, and splice evaluations, without requiring power outages. This innovation significantly reduces operational risks while enhancing grid reliability and efficiency.”
Inspection drones in the energy industry have reduced the need for costly helicopter and high-risk manual inspections, by providing a safer, more cost-effective, and environmentally friendly alternative. And what is more; the LineDrone is arriving on the US enterprise market at time when DJI is fighting a seemingly losing war against an impending ban from the federal congress.
The company says it will leverage its extensive expertise in autonomous drone operations and regulatory compliance to help deploy the LineDrone technology for utility companies and infrastructure service providers throughout the US.
"Our collaboration with Drone Volt aligns perfectly with our mission to deliver cutting-edge drone solutions that enhance safety, efficiency, and sustainability," said Barry Alexander, Founder and CEO of Aquiline Drones.
"By incorporating advanced AI and cloud technology into the LineDrone system, we aim to set a new industry standard for high-voltage power line inspections."
Acquiline added that – just as it had done with its Flight to the Future (F2F) online drone training course – it would scale the LineDrone project nationally by training a workforce of independent professional drone service providers (DSPs) to then participate as on-demand professional LineDrone DSPs.
The US has over 600,000 miles of transmission lines that move electricity from power plants to cities and towns nationwide, so there should probably be enough work for everyone.
"This agreement extends our existing partnership with Aquiline Drones and enables AD to include specific and adapted drones as part of a proven next generation power grid infrastructure inspection system" says Marc Courcelle, CEO of DroneVolt SA.
“Aquiline Drones is able to provide an entire ecosystem of AI controlled drones, inspection data analysis, FAA pilot training, operating liability insurance and lifetime system support of each client. No other drone provider in the US can offer this broadly encompassing and complete solution.”