The energy sector is undergoing a crucial transformation driven by the growing adoption of drone technology. As the regulatory landscape evolves and compliance protocols mature, drones possess immense potential to augment or even replace conventional methods of energy surveillance, transport, and beyond line-of-sight operations. But crucially, the success of this transformation hinges on ensuring persistent and reliable connectivity, as drones are highly dependent on resilient communication infrastructure that can withstand the test of time.
Drone data – safer, faster, and easier
Drones are already transforming the way critical assets are inspected, particularly through remote evaluations. In the past, energy firms often turned to helicopters, ground-based teams, or expensive shutdowns for infrastructure checks. If technicians needed to reach equipment from the air, it was both risky and time-consuming. Now, however, drones can achieve the same outcomes in far less time, with far fewer people, capturing detailed photographs and thermal readings with remarkable precision; all while operators stay safely on the ground. Naturally, for these benefits to be realized, an uninterrupted connection is crucial.
Offshore offerings
Drones have become especially useful offshore. Wind farms located at sea bring a host of logistical complications, making regular inspections difficult and costly. Drones equipped with heterogeneous connectivity, on the other hand, can be deployed in challenging weather, reach otherwise inaccessible spots, and send back live data for analysis – even from “not-spots”. This ensures maintenance is carried out only when it is truly required, minimizing both disruption to power generation and potential hazards to human life.
Solar energy
In 2022, solar PV generation increased by 26 percent, marking the largest growth of any renewable technology. The most obvious application lies in their monitoring capabilities. For instance, drones equipped with thermal imaging cameras can accurately detect inefficient or malfunctioning solar panels across large solar farms. Heterogeneous connectivity also enables drones to upload large datasets to cloud platforms for analysis and storage, optimizing performance during inspections.
But the applications of heterogeneously connected drones don’t stop there. They can also map potential sites for solar parks by analyzing terrain, topography, and environmental conditions. They can equally monitor the construction process, identifying potential delays along the way. Here, the irreplaceable role of heterogeneous connectivity becomes evident, as it ensures seamless data exchange. By fusing different networks, drones can perform these functions over long distances and in remote locations, which is vital when planning new solar farms.
Maximizing the value of data
Although drones excel at gathering visual information, the real power lies in what can be done with the data collected. By fitting drones with specialized sensors, such as lidar for mapping or thermal imaging for identifying heat irregularities, it becomes possible to gain insights that go well beyond ordinary observation. This capability is especially helpful for predictive maintenance, a concept of growing importance as the industry aims to reduce downtime by planning ahead and enhancing operational efficiency.
The data captured by drones can be analyzed using artificial intelligence (AI) and machine learning to identify patterns, anticipate system failures, and propose pre-emptive fixes. This allows organizations to continuously track key indicators and alert engineers only when action is needed, rather than deploying a team every few months to inspect a pipeline. This proactive strategy not only reduces costs but also helps to avoid major breakdowns that could harm the environment or disrupt energy supplies.
Connectivity is key
Drones are already showing significant promise in meeting the race to net zero and could one day supersede many existing approaches to energy, surveillance, transport, and beyond-visual line-of-sight (BVLOS) operations. While drones hold immense potential for revolutionizing the energy industry, robust and continuous connectivity must be embedded at every stage of their deployment. To truly harness the benefits of safer, faster, and more cost-effective practices, these aerial technologies must be backed by connectivity solutions designed to withstand the test of time. Only then can we ensure drones reach their full transformative power within the energy sector.
