With the national commitment to expand the energy grid to support renewables, V-TOL Aerospace is working to ensure this essential infrastructure is protected.
Australia’s energy networks are rapidly expanding, with new transmission infrastructure stretching further and higher to support the renewable energy transition.
But as infrastructure increases, so too do the risks – to the assets themselves, and to the people and wildlife around them.
Like other critical infrastructure, transmission towers and powerlines are vulnerable to corrosion, extreme weather and wear, but their size and elevation introduce additional hazards.
High above the ground and often in isolated areas, these assets can be all but invisible in poor conditions. Even on clear days, powerlines can be difficult to see from the air, but at dusk and dawn, or during cloudy, wet or smoky conditions, they effectively disappear.
This is a particular risk for low-flying agricultural aircraft and ground crews working in close proximity to powerlines.
Accidental contact with live wires can cause electrocution and serious injury, as well as infrastructure damage, fires and power outages – all at great cost to wildlife, utilities and communities.
Addressing this critical challenge requires dedication and skill, and utilities are looking to experts like V-TOL Aerospace to protect their people and assets.
Marking the problem
Aerial safety markers are a proven way to make infrastructure more visible and prevent collisions. Under the Australian Standard AS 3891:2021, aircraft warning markers are required where low-level flying operations take place, but installing them is no easy feat.
Marker installations have traditionally relied on helicopters, cherry pickers or hot stick live line methods. These approaches, however, can be expensive and dependent on weather, and they often carry significant safety risks for the crews involved.
In many cases, installing markers also means shutting down a section of the network, disrupting supply and increasing operational costs. And in some environments, installation may be unfeasible due to cost or difficultly accessing the site, leaving potentially vulnerable lines unmarked. This is where drones are changing the game.
Drone use has advanced rapidly across the energy sector in recent years. Initially used for inspections and imaging, drones are increasingly employed for other complex tasks, from line stringing to asset maintenance and even aerial marker installation.
Replacing helicopters with drones means utilities can reduce cost, avoid emissions and eliminate many of the safety risks associated with working near live infrastructure.
Drones can also provide access to previously unreachable areas, unlocking new levels of visibility, all while crews remain safely on the ground.
Robotic revolution
V-TOL is taking drone-based marker installation to new heights with ROTA-FIX, a robotic drone platform that enables the safe, precise installation of hazard markers on live transmission and distribution infrastructure.
Working in partnership with Balmoral Engineering, the inventors of the ROTAMARKA and Rota-Flag hazard markers, V-TOL created a first-in-class robotic platform for the energy industry – one that removes human contact from the installation process entirely.
Weighing in at just 15kg, ROTA-FIX is a lightweight electric alternative to helicopter installation. The system has been rigorously tested for safety and performance within energised environments and meets operational standards for use around live infrastructure.
The electric drone has been field-tested and has demonstrated that it is safe to operate within energised infrastructure, meaning there are no shutdowns required.
Using ROTA-FIX to install markers provides a number of benefits.
- Improved safety – eliminates human exposure to live electrical assets
- Fewer weather restrictions – drone crews can wait on-site for bad weather to clear for a fraction of the standby cost of a helicopter
- Cost efficiency – significantly lower operational, deployment and redeployment costs than a helicopter
- Lower emissions – a 1–2t twin engine helicopter consumes upwards of 600L of jet fuel per hour
Since its launch, ROTA-FIX has been deployed on a range of transmission assets across Queensland, Victoria and New South Wales.
V-TOL used ROTA-FIX to position and mark critical Powerlink transmission line infrastructure near the emergency services helipad at Origin Energy’s Darling Downs Power Station in Queensland. A similar demonstration for Powerlink at Swanbank Power Station Precinct sho
wed the drone’s effectiveness in windy, variable conditions that would have delayed helicopter installation.
In Victoria, V-TOL completed five projects for Powercor and AusNet, including challenging installations over a river crossing and waterway in northern Victoria, and mountainous locations in the state’s south. One project near a pelican habitat saw markers installed to protect wildlife and deflect low-flying agricultural aircraft from nearby infrastructure.
V-TOL has also recently completed its first job with Transgrid in New South Wales, installing hazard markers on elevated electrical transmission infrastructure within the Holsworthy Military Area, a complex environment with strict safety measures and defence requirements.
Safer, smarter networks
Beyond improving visibility and safety, V-TOL’s ROTA-FIX also offers considerable digital intelligence in the asset installed.
Each installed marker is recorded by ROTA-FIX at the point of attachment. Information such as ROTAMARKA type, position, date and time of installation is uploaded from the drone to be recorded on a digital twin or asset management system, providing greater accountability for utilities, who can visualise where, how and when the asset was installed.
To complement the opportunity to install a Marka, V-TOL is also working on a smart device to collect and transmit data in-real-time to a Digital Twin platform. As part of this, sensors will be installed using the same approach as the ROTA-FIX, utilising the Balmoral ROTAMARKA connection.
The Digital Twin platform offers real-time and eventually predictive insights using advanced data analytics to measure current and future network performance. This is particularly important during high-risk periods such as storms, floods fires and other natural disasters.
With the implementation of smart devices with supporting artificial intelligence, utilities can view live conditions across their networks, respond to emerging threats and make better-informed decisions that reduce risk and improve reliability – from any handheld device.
As Australia’s energy networks grow more complex, physical and digital visibility will be critical to a safer, more reliable grid.
By combining robotics, data and innovation, V-TOL is revolutionising the way utilities and energy companies protect their infrastructure, while prioritising the safety of their people and communities.
For more information, visit digitaltwin.energy (powered by V-TOL Aerospace)
