Researchers at NASA Langley Research Center in Hampton, VA have developed a novel technology that enables safe, autonomous inspection of high-voltage power grids. This system uses ultraviolet (UV) cameras to detect, inspect, and analyze a corona discharge. The discharge signifies a power line fault that has long been inspected manually requiring a lot of man hours.
Currently, it is impossible to monitor power lines continuously, so maintenance crews with specialized cameras perform ‘spot checks’ every few months.
A key benefit for using UV detection is that it offers images that isolate the location of the corona discharge with far greater precision, making this an indispensable tool for tasks such as trolley, maintenance, wildfire detection and location, power transmission line inspection and fault detection, and electric rail applications.
Filed Under: M2M (machine to machine)