Andhra Pradesh's AP-Transco turns to drone patrols for power grid health checks

The Andhra Pradesh Power Transmission Corporation (AP-Transco) has initiated a pilot project to use drones for inspecting its electricity transmission assets, aiming to make preventive maintenance faster and more efficient. The corporation has invited tenders from drone service providers compliant with the Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) regulations to carry out aerial surveillance of its high-voltage network.

Under the pilot, the selected vendor will deploy unmanned aerial vehicles to monitor transmission lines covering approximately 23,000 towers and 8,500 kilometres of 400 kV, 220 kV, and 132 kV extra-high voltage (EHV) lines. The contract period is two years. Photos and high-resolution videos captured by the drones, including thermal images, will be analysed with the help of artificial intelligence (AI) tools to identify faults and guide repairs.

Speaking to The Hindu, AP-Transco Director (Grid, Transmission & Management) A.K.V. Bhaskar said the drone patrolling programme could be extended to the entire 33,000-kilometre transco network, depending on the success of the pilot. He added that some AI tools are being developed in-house to reduce costs.

The move is inspired by the practices of the Power Grid Corporation of India Limited (PGCIL), which has already used drones equipped with multi-sensor payloads to assess the condition of its assets. AP-Transco expects similar benefits in reducing the time and cost involved in manual inspections.

Transmission lines and towers are exposed to weather, corrosion, and wear over time. Traditional ground patrols often miss defects that are not easily visible from below. Drones can capture images from multiple angles, including views of insulators, bolts, angular members, and earbands, helping engineers spot potential problems before they lead to outages or grid instability.

Another key advantage is speed. Several drone sorties can be completed in far less time than would be possible with human teams covering the same distance. This allows the utility to assess its network more frequently and prioritise maintenance work based on actual condition.

For Andhra Pradesh, which has experienced cyclone-related disruptions and has a growing industrial and agricultural demand for power, ensuring reliable transmission is critical. The state has invested significantly in new substations and lines, but maintaining ageing infrastructure remains a challenge. The drone project is part of a broader effort to modernise grid operations and adopt data-driven asset management.

The tender process is open to DGCA-compliant providers, ensuring that the operations meet safety and regulatory standards. The two-year pilot will generate data on the effectiveness of drone-based inspections and AI analysis, which will inform future decisions.

If expanded to all 33,000 kilometres of transmission lines, the project would make AP-Transco one of the first state utilities in India to use drone technology on such a large scale for routine asset monitoring. Officials remain cautious and stress that the final decision will depend on the pilot's outcomes.