CLP Power, one of the first pilot sites in the government's low-altitude economy (LAE) Regulatory Sandbox, uses "beyond-line-of-sight flying" to inspect transmission towers and overhead cables, which is expected to increase efficiency by nearly four times.
The drone flies near power towers, taking pictures of the cables and checking power supply lines, and can zoom in to get a better view.
In recent years, the government has promoted the development of a low-altitude economy, and even the CLP has had to keep up with the times by training more than 60 staff to operate drones of different weights, replacing infantry inspections with electronic eyes.
Using "beyond-line-of-sight flying" is even more critical in inclement weather, as collapsing trees or landslides can affect the line of sight. Operators can fly the drone out of sight in a safe place, which is expected to increase the efficiency of inspections of transmission towers and overhead power lines by nearly four times.
At present, these drones of less than 10 kilograms are generally being used for conducting routine inspections. The CLP pointed out that if the regulatory sandbox is further expanded, consideration will be given in future to trying out the application of heavy-duty or large-sized drones for collecting more data and conducting site inspections.
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