Drones play a vital role in the energy and utilities sector by helping with maintenance and safety.

How Drones Help

• Solar Panels: Drones with special cameras can fly over large solar farms. These cameras detect hot spots that signal a damaged or malfunctioning solar panel. This helps workers find and fix problems quickly, keeping the panels working efficiently.
• Power Lines: Drones are used to inspect power lines, especially in hard-to-reach areas like mountains or over rivers. They can spot problems like damaged wires or broken insulators that might cause a power outage. This is much safer than sending a person up in a helicopter or on a ladder.
• Wind Turbines: Wind turbines are very tall, and climbing them for inspection is risky. Drones can fly close to the turbine blades and towers to check for cracks, wear, or other damage. This allows for regular maintenance and makes sure the turbines can continue generating clean energy.

The Drones Used

• Sensors and Cameras: Drones used for these jobs are equipped with special cameras and sensors. These include thermal cameras that detect heat and high-resolution cameras that take detailed photos of equipment.
• Why Drones are Better: Drones are faster and more efficient at covering large areas than people on foot or in vehicles. They also reduce the risk of accidents for human workers by allowing them to stay safely on the ground.

Challenge: Follow the Powerlines

Your mission is to follow the powerlines to make sure they are clear of any obstacles.

Your Goal: Guide the drones above the powerlines. Each square will give you one survey point. Once you have surveyed all spots then land at the target location. Some obstacles you can fly over if they are under 300 feet.