Solution
High-voltage power systems are critical to modern life, and inspecting cables is vital to keeping this system safe and reliable. Traditional manual inspections are fraught with risks, especially in remote or rugged terrains. Modern pure-vision drone solutions also have limitations, including restricted inspection angles, short operational times, and dependency on skilled operators. To overcome these challenges, a groundbreaking innovation has been developed—a specialised drone system integrating advanced design, a cable-mounted inspection car, and cutting-edge image recognition.
This system consists of three primary components: a drone with a fully enclosed frame, an inspection car capable of traversing cables, and a real-time fault detection algorithm.
The drone uses an X8 configuration, featuring eight motors arranged in a dual-layered quadrotor setup. This design ensures stability, redundancy, and compactness, allowing the drone to continue flying even if one motor fails. The fully enclosed frame shields the propellers, preventing collisions with power lines and ensuring safe navigation in environments with dense cabling.
The inspection car, mounted on the drone, incorporates a V-shaped arm that clamps securely onto power cables. Motorised wheels enable the car to traverse the cable, eliminating the need for manual placement and significantly reducing safety risks. The car is equipped with a high-resolution camera for close-up inspections and an embedded microcomputer running the YOLOv8 algorithm. This deep learning model, trained on hundreds of images of cable damage, detects issues such as cracks, frays, and corrosion in real-time without relying on external servers. Additionally, vibration sensors detect high-impedance fault points in conjunction with a high-voltage pulse signal generator—one of our distinctive innovations.
This system addresses multiple pain points. The fully enclosed drone and cable-mounted car overcome standard drones’ limited angles, ensuring comprehensive inspections. Real-time fault detection enhances accuracy while reducing reliance on manual review, with unique high-impedance detection capabilities surpassing competitors.
Our products significantly reduce human risk in hazardous environments such as mountainous areas or extreme weather conditions. In tests, the system reduced inspection time by up to 50% and achieved an inspection accuracy of over 95% compared to traditional methods. In addition, the system reduces operating costs by up to 92%, making it a significant efficient solution for power companies to manage their extensive cable networks.
This system’s innovation lies in its unique functionality and integration. The drone paired with a cable-mounted inspection vehicle enhances safety and efficiency, while the industry-first enclosed frame protects the drone and surroundings. YOLOv8 detection algorithms run directly on the vehicle’s microcomputer, eliminating external processing and improving reliability. By innovating traditional methods for detecting high-impedance faults, the system simplifies detection and reduces costs.
The development process of this innovation highlights thorough validation and steady progress. The YOLOv8 model was trained on over 300 annotated images of cable damage, achieving high accuracy during testing. Rigorous flight trials fine-tuned the drone’s stability, maneuverability, and battery life for optimal performance. Extensive testing of the inspection car confirmed its ability to grip cables securely and traverse them smoothly, even under challenging conditions. These tests not only validated the system’s functionality but also identified areas for improvement, such as enhancing the car’s mobility on inclined cables.
From the initial concept to a functional prototype, significant progress has been made. The integration of lightweight carbon fibre materials improved durability and portability while deploying the YOLOv8 algorithm on embedded microcomputers enabled real-time fault detection. Battery tests showed an average flight time of 30 minutes, meeting the operational needs of extended inspection tasks.
This innovation demonstrates the potential of advanced technology to tackle critical infrastructure challenges. By improving safety, reducing costs, and increasing inspection accuracy, it aims to enhance power system maintenance and benefit both the industry and communities. With thorough validation and clear plans for future improvements, the system is positioned to set new standards for high-voltage cable inspection.