Carbonix flight milestone for SA Power Networks

By on 11 March, 2024
The Carbonix Volanti UAV used to conduct the powerline inspection for SA Power Networks.

In what has been claimed an Australian first, Australian drone manufacturer Carbonix has flown a Volanti drone on a beyond visual line of sight (BVLOS) mission to inspect 150 kilometres of SA Power Networks powerlines in remote South Australia.

The CASA-approved mission opens the door to more-efficient and safer inspections of South Australia’s vast electricity distribution network, which covers more than 180,000 square kilometres.

Carbonix and SA Power Networks have been working together to pursue the use of long-range UAVs for the past 18 months.

“This is such an exciting time for the drone industry and for the energy industry,” said Carbonix CEO Philip van der Burg.

“We’ve addressed the risks and barriers, both regulatory and technical, and proven the capability. Long range drone adoption means improved safety, faster response times and reduced carbon footprint for companies like SA Power Networks.”

An operator monitors the flight of the Volanti UAV.

Inspections are currently conducted using conventional crewed helicopters and fixed-wing light aircraft, or ground crews. A switch to drones would bring large reductions in operating costs and CO2 output, while also boosting safety and efficiency.

“We rely on aerial inspections to be able to meet inspection cycles,” said Head of Corporate Affairs for SA Power Networks Paul Roberts.

“Our crews also drive about 20 million kilometres annually patrolling and maintaining our vast network.

“Being able to deploy over the horizon drone patrols will drive greater efficiency in our asset management program and provide genuine safety benefits for our people and community.”

You may also like to read:


, , ,


Newsletter

Sign up now to stay up to date about all the news from Spatial Source. You will get a newsletter every week with the latest news.

Happy International GIS Day for 2024!
About 30 events will be held across Australasia and the Sout...
Mapping vegetation for managing the land
NSW’s Native Vegetation Regulatory Map has proven pivotal ...
Geospatial to boost economy by $689 billion by 2034
A new report highlights the vital value of geospatial data a...
Seafloor mapping with remotely controlled USVs
Ireland-headquartered XOCEAN is expanding its operations aro...
Handheld reality capture redefined
The NavVis MLX lightweight, ergonomic instrument is a signif...
Leica’s GS05 smart antenna now in Australia
The GS05’s streamlined data-collection functionalities ena...