Project with drones

Using sensors to improve the flow of electricity depending on the weather

The drone project took place near Sahrasdorf in the district of Bruck an der Leitha.(Bild: APG/CMikes)

It is not only important to build new lines to prevent bottlenecks in the power supply: APG (Austrian Power Grip) is currently also optimizing the capacity of the existing high-voltage grid. This is being done with modern sensors that can optimize the flow in the power lines depending on the weather conditions.

As part of a pilot project, the company is cooperating with Geosphere Austria, which can use its weather data and the sensors on the "wires" to improve the transmission of electricity using a special algorithm.

Drones as agile, flying sensor assemblers
Mounting these instruments used to involve a great deal of effort. "We had to disconnect the lines for this - it took several months," explains project spokesperson Alex Winter. This is now done cost-effectively with drones: The electricity can continue to flow, the sensors can also be installed more quickly and there are also no more waiting times.

This digitalization of the power line infrastructure is particularly effective where there are bottlenecks in the line system: "This allows us to save 100 million euros per year in congestion management - an important part of strengthening the line network with nine billion euros by 2034," says APG spokesperson Christoph Schuh.