Drones replaced helicopters in the inspection of Skagerak Nett’s entire power grid in Hjartdal municipality

November 24, 2020

Drones replaced helicopters in the inspection of Skagerak Nett’s entire power grid in Hjartdal municipality

STAVANGER, Norway, 16 November 2020 – KVS Technologies has successfully completed a drone inspection of Skagerak Nett’s high-voltage power grid in Hjartdal municipality in Telemark, Norway. The entire grid comprising 1206 masts was inspected by fully-electric drones, making it the first time one of Norway’s largest utility companies has used drones to replace helicopters in inspecting a municipality’s entire grid. KVS Technologies performs BVLOS (beyond visual line of sight) flights, which enables efficient operations on a large scale.

Skagerak Nett has previously conducted inspections by helicopter or on foot, which are the traditional and most widely-used methods in the industry. ‘We are looking for new and better ways to improve asset inspections. Drone inspection and documentation have many benefits that are superior to traditional helicopter inspections,’ says Morten Gøytil, Skagerak Nett’s Maintenance Manager.

KVS Technologies’ drones captured data that was instantaneously available to Skagerak Nett in real-time. This allowed Skagerak Nett to review the data in the same week that the drones inspected the grid. ‘The captured documentation from the drones gave us very good insights to asset health and uncovered faults that needed immediate action. The drones completed the job as fast as helicopters would have done, while providing greater safety for our crew, better documentation, and less noise pollution,’ says Gøytil.

Many utility companies already use small drones as a complement to helicopter services, but it is anticipated that autonomous drones will increasingly take center stage. According to Bloomberg NEF, operators willspend US$2.4 billion on software for monitoring, operating, and automating the distribution andtransmission grid in 2025. Within software markets for the grid, the fastest growing segment is drones and augmented reality.

‘More and more utility companies are thinking about digitalisation, and Skagerak Nett have taken a forward-thinking approach in adopting drone technology for higher-quality and more reliable data,’ says Håkon Kjerkreit, KVS Technologies’ VP of Services. ‘This is the first time that Skagerak Energi, one of the largest power companies in Norway, has used drones to replace helicopters in the inspection of an entire municipality’s grid. This signalises the scalability and massive potential of drone technology.’

About KVS TechnologiesFounded in 2015, KVS Technologies develops AI-driven software that enables smart drones to execute critical infrastructure inspections in a greener, safer, and more efficient way. KVS Technologies’ goal is to safeguard the integrity of the power grid, bringing a steady and reliable supply of electricity to millions of people. For more information, visit kvstech.no.

About Skagerak NettSkagerak Nett is part of the Skagerak Energi group, one of Norway’s leading energy groups. Skagerak produces and distributes electricity and heat from renewable sources, an important contribution to the green energy transition. With an increased focus on digitalisation and new flexible working methods, Skagerak will work for innovation and new business activities. Going forward, Skagerak will be an energy partner to contribute to the electrification and use of other sustainable renewable solutions in society, the transport sector, industry and agriculture. Skagerak is owned by Statkraft and the municipalities in Grenland. The group’s head office is in Porsgrunn.

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Media Contacts

Angeline TseCommunications Manager+47 902 13 725at@kvstech.no

Morten GøytilMaintenance Manager, Skagerak Natt+47 958 69 484morten.goytil@skagerakenergi.no