DTEK Kyiv Regional Grids inspects power lines with drones

The new technology is up to 3 times more effective than traditional repair crew walk downs and visual line inspections. During the flight, the drone photographs all the network elements, which are then uploaded into the IT system. Special software developed by the Estonian company HEPTA analyzes the received power grid data and informs the specialists about defects. Thanks to these data, the company can do the maintenance just in time when the fault is still minor and has not yet led to a failure. Thus, the company can provide better quality power supply to customers.

“DTEK is attracting new technologies to Ukraine, creating an innovative ecosystem. The new technology helps to do the surveys in hard-to-reach places, such as wetlands, over trees, water obstacles and industrial areas. At the same time, we do such surveys without power interruptions for customers. Moreover, we do not need additional equipment, which significantly speeds up the process. We started a pilot project on the use of a drone in the Boryspil region in September this year,” says Vitaliy Shaida, Head of DTEK Kyiv Regional Grids.

The company saves some time thanks to new technologies, and then uses it to analyze the data obtained and do the timely maintenances. Indeed, after processing the information received, the company has clear data about the areas of concern, as well as images of defects that cannot be seen from the ground. This innovative development will improve the power supply quality for the company's customers.

6 sets of drones with are needed to use them widely every day. This change in the Distribution System Operators practices will reduce power interruption time for customers. The possibility to use such innovative technologies systematically by the distribution system operators will be considered by the national regulator (NEURC) as part of annual investment programs.