Wudang drone inspections improve power grid maintenance

Deng Shanxin, a drone inspection operator at the Wudang power supply bureau, conducted an autonomous inspection of the Yangpi branch of the 10-kilovolt Shiyang line in Yangchang town, Wudang district, Guiyang, on Sept 11.

Deng operates two drones from the docking station. [Photo/WeChat account of Wudang district]

"In the past, one person could operate only one drone. Now, with drone docking stations, a team can operate three to four drones at the same time," said Deng. Inspection data can now be transmitted in real time, while AI automatically identifies potential defects, improving efficiency throughout the process. Drone inspections also don't require power outages, allowing maintenance work to continue without disrupting electricity supplies.

In 2025, Wudang spent seven months optimizing inspection plans for 30 power lines, covering 8,238 poles and towers and 451 kilometers of flight routes. In April this year, it completed the province's first full-coverage acceptance inspection for integrated transmission and distribution drone operations.

So far, the bureau has identified 915 line defects, eliminated more than 30 major and urgent hazards, and carried out 15 comprehensive line improvement campaigns. Across 27 key inspection lines in its service area, the bureau has eliminated power outages caused by equipment failures and vegetation encroachment, and the power grid failure rate has fallen 46 percent year on year.