40,000 km inspection to Estonia's largest network operator

Elektrilevi's full scale grid analysis

Background

Elektrilevi, the largest distribution network operator in Estonia, covers a staggering 93% of the country’s power line infrastructure. However, it felt derailed and was reluctant to improve its asset management performance.

Despite being a large-scale, publicly owned enterprise, Elektrilevi is well known for its competitive strive towards the future grid and digitization. They strive to offer society and consumers a high-quality experience by effectively developing their network systems and organizational procedures.

power line analysis drones uav artificial intelligence

Hepta

The success story of Hepta Insights has become known due to a mix of unique skill sets and experience in the team:

15+ years of experience in on-ground grid inspection
7+ years of experience in helicopter grid inspection
8+ years of experience in drone grid inspection
Including data scientists working with satellite data, software engineers deploying machine learning models, aerospace engineers having previously built manned helicopters

Combining unique skill sets enabled us to approach Elektrilevi’s use case agilely.

“Carrying the weight of analyzing the entire electricity network of Estonia cannot be disrupted with novel solutions promptly and on full-scale from the next day. ”

The heavy responsibility was not to be taken lightly.

Read the full use case below.

First 2 months of sUAV-testing eventuated with two times faster inspection results

Previous situation

An in-house team of on-ground patrol and motorized vehicles mostly performed Elektrilevi’s asset management procedures. The usual pristine disadvantages of the conventional inspection created a high level of impermanence within the organization:

The vast majority of the network area is in rural areas, unreachable to motorized vehicles
On-foot patrol is time-consuming, taking up to 7 years for a typical DSO to complete the whole cycle
On-foot patrol is highly inaccurate. Instead of state-of-the-art sensors, we rely on the subjective view of the human eye
On-foot patrol is dangerous. Daily, linemen must embark on perilous journeys to hazardous work environments

Nevertheless, inspection provides us with actionable insights into capital-intensive strategic assets. Having a complete and accurate overview of the assets’ conditions plays a crucial role in utility decision-making.

“Actionable insights provide direct input to network planning, maintenance, financial and procurement departments for the upcoming years, to keep the flow of electricity safe, constant at low-cost.”

Peckish to strive toward the future grid and automated asset management, Elektrilevi started to look for alternatives. In 2018, they announced a private sector tender that was lurking for innovative alternatives to conventional power line analysis. The new concept depicted groundbreaking change:

Re-organized roles for the entire maintenance team
Full-scale end-to-end inspection delivery was now outsourced
Elektrilevi’s new position had become an intelligent-contractor

As may be expected, Hepta was ready to take prompt action.

In early 2018, Hepta signed two framework agreements, obtaining the trust of Estonia’s largest network operator to deliver full-scale inspection and analysis to close to 93% of the entire country’s network.

Start with small steps

During the first six-month kick-off period, our team cautiously studied every detail of the Estonian network, executing the inspection with precisely the same conventional and inefficient on-ground methods. We learned, and we did not enforce any changes.

Our primary target was to obtain a clear overview of customer procedures, enabling us to:

Identify the core values & technical aspects important to Elektrilevi
Identify deficiencies within the existing procedures
Pinpoint potential improvements without involving any risks

Slow but steady progress

At first, we trained our on-ground team with small, off-the-shelf drones. Easy to handle, low-entrance in costs. First, UAV missions were conducted on the middle voltage overhead lines, which, from the airborne inspection perspective, have significant risk-lowering advantages compared to low voltage networks:

Lines are more extended and straighter, including with fewer branches
The right of Way (danger zone) of the line corridor is broader and cleaner

The first 2 months of sUAV-testing eventuated with two times faster inspection results!

Instead of the typical 160 km per month, we reached an astonishing 320 km of analyzed grid per one engineer.

As a “side bonus,” we started to receive frequent positive mentions from the customer based on the digital footprint that the high-definition close-up view of the UAV images successfully supplied.

Full execution

Having been boosted by the sudden success, we replaced sUAVs with Hepta’s in-house-built industrial drones, delivering BVLOS missions over hundreds of kilometers.
As for the low voltage, we are currently following similar cautious principles:

Implementation of the small UAV’s
Partially replacing sUAVs with long-range drones

Software & Analysis

Drones are just one side of the solution.

We deploy machine learning models to accelerate the analysis of image data. Our software works in deep synergy with trained grid technicians. We leave our customers with a fast, cost-efficient, up-to-date overview of the mechanical defects along the line.

By the way – 100% accuracy is guaranteed!

Elektrilevi's Asset Management today

100% of the middle voltage grid is inspected by automated UAVs
30-50% low voltage grid is inspected by automated UAVs. The rest of the grid with on-ground methods
Machine learning is deployed to daily analysis procedures
PoCs to acquire data from other sources have been initiated (land board, satellite, etc.)

Results & benefits

The inspection cycle has decreased from 7 years to 2,5 years!
The cost level, compared to alternatives, is 2 times lower
Accuracy. We find, on average, 11 more defects per line kilometer
Elektrilevi has attained a long-lasting digital footprint of the entire power line, including its critical defects & failures

"Hepta’s inspection solutions provide us with insights which dramatically help decreasing maintenance costs and reduce failures. By extending the lifespan of the assets we are able to avoid their replacement."

Rasmus Armas, Head of Asset Management, Elektrilevi

40,000 km inspection to Estonia’s largest network operator