State Grid Changzhou Power Supply Company upgrades drones for inspection

State Grid Changzhou Power Supply Company in Jiangsu province completed the transmission corridor inspection of the 500-kilovolt Lingwu Line on Jan 13, using the province's first batch of composite-wing drones. This innovative application marks a significant breakthrough for the company in the field of transmission operation and maintenance.

In the past, multi-rotor drones had issues, such as short endurance and poor wind resistance, resulting in low efficiency and safety hazards during long-distance corridor inspections.

To overcome these challenges, State Grid Changzhou Power Supply Company explored combining fixed-wing and multi-rotor functionalities to develop composite-wing drones.

These drones not only possess long endurance and high speed but also have vertical take-off and hover capabilities. The application of composite-wing drones has greatly improved inspection efficiency, with a threefold increase in effective flight duration and a sixfold increase in maximum inspection length per flight. They are particularly suitable for long-duration, long-distance inspection tasks in ultra-high-voltage transmission corridors.

Additionally, based on advanced algorithms, composite-wing drones can accurately identify various targets and hazards within the inspection corridor, with a tenfold increase in hazard recognition capability and a 70 percent reduction in labor costs.

In the future, drones will play a more extensive role in transmission inspection, providing stronger support for the safe and stable operation of the power grid. State Grid Changzhou Power Supply Company said it will continue to explore and apply new technologies to enhance the operational efficiency and safety of transmission corridors.