E.DIS Netz, a subsidiary of one the largest energy service providers in Germany, the E.DIS Group, recently finished testing novel drone-based inspection solutions in the state of Mecklenburg-Vorpommern. The tests were conducted as part of a larger program for E.DIS Netz, which aims to evaluate how drones can be used in power line inspections.

The T&D grid is under pressure like never before. There are a number of data-driven digital solutions to help shore up the grid that have been getting a lot of press lately. While grid inspection may seem like a mainly analog process and doesn’t get the press other utility operations do, it too can be strengthened through digitalization and play a crucial role in the digital utility of the future.

EAM Netz, a German network operator, recently concluded tests in the Rheinland Pfalz region, where the goal was to compare traditional power line inspections with novel drone-based solutions. As the importance of electricity is growing in our lives, so does the need for dependable and well-maintained power line infrastructure. Technical innovations could help to ensure that in the future.