Continuing efforts to enhance their electric system, PSEG Long Island has partnered with ULC Robotics to use unmanned aerial vehicles (UAV) to advance inspection operations. Building off the success of a recently completed pilot program, PSEG Long Island has chosen to integrate UAV technology into existing operations to provide safe and reliable energy to more than 1 million customers.
Last Friday, ULC’s pilots worked with PSEG Long Island employees to complete a right-of-way inspection in Brentwood, NY. Flying a UAV outfitted with a high-definition camera and LiDAR sensor, ULC surveyed the utility asset for faults that could cause reliability issues in the event of a storm. The aerial data collected will aid PSEG Long Island in strengthening their system prior to major storms, as well as enable more informed decision-making and better resource allocation during post-storm response, ultimately reducing service restoration times.
“Compared to using helicopters or ground-based observation, UAVs give us better data on the electric system, which directly improves system reliability and employee safety,” says John O’ Connell, vice president of transmission and distribution operations at PSEG Long Island.
Earlier in the week, our team worked with PSEG Long Island to assess the condition of powerlines in Levittown, NY and investigate reliability issues. Friday’s flight will be followed by the aerial inspection of an electric substation as well as other assets within the PSEG Long Island transmission and distribution system.
