National Grid eyes e-field drone inspection for pylons

Funded by Ofgem’s Network Innovation Allowance (NIA), the three-year, £1.1m project will use electric field (e-field) sensor technology to monitor the condition of high voltage insulators on the power lines. These insulators are generally made from glass or ceramic, protecting the pylons supporting the power lines from becoming live.

The e-fields produced by the insulators have distinct profiles, and defects can be detected by changes to these profiles. Equipping UAVs with bespoke e-field sensors would allow National Grid to monitor the insulators and the safety of lines in real-time, making estimated savings of £2.8m over 15 years. The technology will be developed and tested in Manchester University’s High Voltage Laboratory, which is equipped with facilities that can test up to 600kV DC, 800kV AC and 2MV impulse.

“With demand increasing, we need to maximise the resilience of overhead lines, the spine of UK electricity,” said Dr Vidyadhar Peesapati, from Manchester’s Department of Electrical and Electronic Engineering.