Drone combines with wire-handling robot to save birds

US To reduce the risk of birds crashing into power lines, experts use drones and robots to install bird diverters on power lines.

PLP (Preformed Line Products) and FulcrumAir have partnered to deploy the E2500 HP drone system and the Mini LineFly robot, one of the world's most advanced robotic systems for installing bird diverters on power lines, New Atlas reported on January 23. The system has been used to install nearly 15,000 bird diverters along a 75-mile (121 km) transmission line for the High Banks Wind project in Kansas, USA.

Bird deflectors make power lines more visible to birds, reducing the risk of them hitting and killing them. Each device comes in the form of a coil of PVC-coated wire. Typically, they are wound onto power lines by hand at regular intervals. This is time-consuming and can be dangerous for the installer.

PLP and FulcrumAir’s new system solves this problem. First, the E2500 HP drone drops the Mini LineFly robot onto the power line. The robot then crawls along the line, steadily installing bird diverters as it goes. Small propellers on either side of the robot keep it from swaying along the line in high winds.

When it reaches the end of the line, the Mini LineFly is lifted into the air by the drone and transferred to the next line. This process only requires two operators on the ground, one for the drone and one for the robot.

“We are excited to partner with FulcrumAir to deploy the latest in our growing line of robotic installation systems. The Mini LineFly not only provides the most efficient method for installing bird diverters, but more importantly, contributes to a safer environment for electrical workers around the world,” said Ryan Ruhlman, president of PLP.

Thu Thao (According to New Atlas )

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