StormPetrel - datainnsamling fra UAV med kunstig intelligens for automatisk bildeanalyse av kraftmaster

Drones can be the new inspectors who guard the power grid in Norway. The length of power lines in Norway equals to ten times around the earth, and today helicopters are used for the inspection work. Former students at NTNU develop long-distance drones that in combination with artificial intelligence will inspect the power grid more efficiently and cheaper than before. It is far more expensive to use helicopters for this type of monitoring, and photo analysis is time-consuming. Instead, the drones will automatically detect errors. With more extreme weather, the drones can check the power lines when it is too risky to use a helicopter. The system, powered by a hybrid engine, will have a range of nearly 500 kilometers. The high range is a result of lift from a wing in combination with a newly developed hybrid engine.