Drone-Deployed Mini LineFly Protects Birds on Power Lines

It’s unfortunate that birds frequently meet fatal accidents when colliding with unnoticed overhead power lines. To address this issue, a novel system employs a drone and a robot to enhance the visibility of these lines, preventing such incidents.

Introduced earlier this month, the arrangement includes an E2500 HP coaxial-rotor drone and a Mini LineFly robot, both produced by FulcrumAir, alongside Bird-Flight Diverter devices manufactured by PLP (Preformed Line Products).

Innovative Bird-Flight Diverter Design

In fact, each Bird-Flight Diverter is shaped like a coiled wire covered in PVC plastic. Typically, these devices are manually wound and secured onto power lines at regular intervals, serving as visible markers for birds. This process is labor-intensive and poses potential risks for workers who must be elevated to the lines using lifting equipment.

Moreover, in the innovative system, the Mini LineFly applies the Diverters, eliminating the need for manual installation.

However, the autonomous robot, powered independently, is descended onto a segment of the power line by the drone. It proceeds along the length of that segment, intermittently pausing to apply Diverters from its onboard supply. Propellers on both sides of the robot aid in preventing swaying in high winds.

Seamless Transition Between Sections

Once it completes one section, the drone effortlessly lifts the Mini LineFly off and transfers it to the next section. The operation requires only two ground-based operators—one for the drone and one for the robot.

However, the system has been deployed to install almost 15,000 Bird-Flight Diverters along a 75-mile transmission line within the High Banks Wind Project in Kansas. FulcrumAir’s president and CEO, Patrick Arnell, expressed satisfaction with the Mini LineFly’s performance in this challenging project.

System Demonstration and Related Line-Crawling Robots

To conclude, to witness a demonstration of the system, you can watch the video below. For additional instances of robots crawling along power lines, explore the LineRanger for power line inspection and the Bombyx for applying fiber-optic cables.

Read the original article on: New atlas

Read more: Millisign Tech Guides Drones with Battery-Less Ground Tags