Drones can enable autonomous, efficient, and safer inspection of power lines. Drones equipped with sensors can automatically inspect power lines, fittings, and towers, detecting issues and sending diagnostic data. Drones use laser scanning and imaging to create 3D models of transmission lines, mapping their condition. Drones can also remove foreign materials from power lines using attached devices, improving safety and efficiency over manual removal. During line construction, drones can help erect lines by using attached ropes to pull guide ropes between towers through difficult terrain. Drones also enable efficient topographic surveys to inform optimal power line planning and design.

1. Summary of application of drones in the power industry
Electricity is the foundation of modern social development. Timely and
effective powerline inspection is very important to ensure grid security.
There were numbers of challenges and difficulties during power line
inspection in the past years: long transmission line, time-consuming
procedures etc. Consequently, the inspection efficiency was low, the
workers were placed in higher risks. In response to the above pain points,
MMCUAV （ www.mmcuav.com ） develops the automatic power lines
inspection system with UAV. So, what can UAV technology do in the
power industry? Let's take a brief introduction.
Autonomous inspection
The drone patrolman plans the route on the high-precision line
three-dimensional map prepared in advance, and applies the
centimeter-level real-time positioning technology. The drone
automatically patrols the designated line, and automatically detects the
device through the AI ​ ​ and sends back the diagnostic result data. The
control room provides instant access to the operation of transmission
lines, ground lines, fittings, insulators and towers. Unmanned power
inspections include normal inspections, fault inspections, and special

2. inspections.
3D modeling
UAV transmission line space distance measurement technology can
realize the integration of "small electric drone + micro laser range finder",
by merging laser point cloud, DOM, DEM, high-definition image,
multi-spectral, infrared photography, video image, etc. The data can
form a visible light composite map and a laser three-dimensional model
of the transmission line channel, and establish a text, visible light
composite map, and a three-dimensional model "three-in-one"
information base to realize real scene reconstruction and visually display
the running state of the power transmission channel.
Foreign body removal
In response to the problem of cleaning various flammable foreign
materials on the high-voltage transmission line, the six-rotor UAV is used
to carry the fire-breathing device, and the combustion method is used to
remove foreign matter. The worker who uses the device does not need to
be close to the transmission line, and can remotely remove foreign
matter such as plastic film and kite line under the condition of remote

3. control, and shorten the original obsolete time to several minutes, which
not only improves the efficiency but also reduces the efficiency. Risk of
safe operation.
Line erection
In the construction process of transmission lines, the length of the
corridors and the terrain are complicated. The dense forests in the valleys
and rivers in the areas where the lines pass, which brings great
inconvenience to the line erection, and the implementation of the
project is very difficult. In order to effectively solve the contradiction
between ecological environmental protection and overhead construction,
it is easy to solve the problem by using the drone to display the guide
rope to set up the line frame. The drone first flies over the line and
applies a lightweight high-strength lead rope through each base tower,
and then uses this lightweight lead rope to continuously pull the
subsequent lead rope until a three-stage lead rope is pulled and the wire
is erected. In this way, the high strength of the manpower display guide
rope and the difficulty of landing the guide rope for the power parachute
are solved, and the tree felling of the line channel is also reduced,
thereby maximally protecting the natural ecology.

4. Line planning
Using the fixed-wing UAV to carry out topographic survey of power grid
engineering, provide detailed basic data such as image and elevation for
power grid topographic map design as a guarantee, minimize the
possibility of errors in the topographic map drawing process, and
improve the topographic map planning and design. Quality and
efficiency provide a scientific basis for the construction of power grid
projects, and thus lay a solid foundation for the safe and stable operation
of power systems. The vertical take-off and fixed-wing unmanned aerial
vehicle technology can greatly reduce the workload in the field, the labor
cost is small, the work efficiency can be effectively improved, the area
that is difficult for people to reach can be measured, and the optimal
transmission line design scheme can be provided. And can provide a
variety of data results including DOM, DSM, DEM, DLG and true 3D
models. Mountainous strip terrain survey, 9km long, 500m wide, results
include DOM (0.1m resolution) and DSM (2m grid).