Drones used to check power lines

ELECTRICITY distribution company Powercor has tested new drone technology to inspect their power lines over the south of Ballarat in recent weeks.

More than 30 kilometres of powerlines around Ross Creek, Cambrian Hill, Napoleons and parts of Buninyong were chosen for the trial because of the region’s topography and other environmental factors.

The drone inspections also come after customers in the area faced reliability issues over the summer.

Head of network asset management John Mifsud said the company is testing the technology to see if it is a viable addition to on foot, vehicle and helicopter inspections.

“This trial is about finding new ways to keep our network operating safely and reliably,” he said.

“While these drones won’t replace our existing inspection methods, we’re looking at whether they have a permanent role in our program in the future.”

He said the Matrice 300 RTK drone allowed for faster, easier inspection of powerlines with high-definition cameras, six-directional sensing, real-time video transmission, thermal imaging and obstacle-detection systems.

The company manages a network of about 90,000 kilometres of powerlines and 588,000 poles, servicing some 843,000 homes and businesses across central and western Victoria and parts of Melbourne’s west.