Automated Power Line Inspection Program

Utilities Partner With Optelos to Implement AI/ML-Driven Asset Inspection Programs

Electric utilities and other organizations involved in power generation, transmission, and distribution are always looking for ways to increase the frequency, scope and accuracy of infrastructure inspections.

Discovering, prioritizing and repairing degraded transmission and distribution assets more quickly has a direct impact on the bottom line while reducing systemic risk from storm damage, wildfires and periods of extraordinary system demand.

Recent advances in artificial intelligence and machine learning (AI/ML), combined with drone-based data collection techniques, give utilities a newfound ability to dramatically improve the accuracy and capacity of their infrastructure inspection programs. By adopting technologies that automate the collection and analysis of inspection data, energy utilities can inspect more infrastructure more often and with greater accuracy.

However, managing the massive increase in inspection data and integrating the results of these automated inspections into existing workflows can present significant challenges. This paper will provide an introductory roadmap to effectively implementing and managing automated grid analytics through drone inspection and AI data analysis, coupled with lessons learned from a real-world implementation that illustrates both the challenges and how beneficial the
transition can prove to be.