Orion is embracing innovation with the use of an automated drone to monitor its latest substation located in rural Selwyn.
Following over 250 successful trial flights throughout 2023, Orion’s partner Unmanned Aerial Vehicle (UAV) supplier Ferntech has received permission from the Civil Aviation Authority (CAA) to operate the drone autonomously at the Norwood site and for one of our 66,000 volt lines between substations.
“The work we did in the trial phase showed we can safely conduct these operations, so we’re excited to now have the drone regularly inspecting the site, which is a first for New Zealand,” says Orion Network Access Manager Peter Allen.
The inspections will be overseen by our UAV supplier Ferntech, from their remote operations centre in Auckland. All Ferntech’s commercial UAV operations are conducted under Part 102 Certification issued by CAA.
Orion has been using UAV technology for several years to improve efficiency and speed with finding faults on the network and assist with inspecting network assets in hazardous or inaccessible terrain.
“The use of this technology has so many benefits, crucially it improves safety and reduces fatigue for our workers and makes difficult tasks easier. It also increases our resilience and reliability by finding faults before they become a problem, allowing us to restore power faster. Our operators can often find a network fault with a drone in minutes, versus sometimes spending hours quite literally in the dark,” says Peter.
"Remote, automated drone flights eliminate many of the risks and costs associated with traditional inspections. Receiving this approval from the CAA marks a significant step forward. This deployment represents the future of UAV operations, and we're proud to partner with Orion to enhance the safety, productivity, and sustainability of New Zealand's power industry," says Ferntech General manager Tom Goodwin.
UAV inspections of the Orion Norwood substation site will be carried out approximately once a week between 09.00am-05.00pm, weather permitting.
If you have any questions about these inspections, please contact our Customer Support team 24/7 on 0800 363 9898.