Water Corporation has announced it will use high-tech drones to inspect more than 160km of pipelines, following a successful trial of new technology. The corporation will survey pipelines in the Goldfields and Agricultural Region Water Supply Scheme (GAWS), which supplies water to more than 100,000 customers, farms, mines and other enterprises. WA Water Minister Mia Davies said surveys conducted by […]
Drones
Turning an industry on its head
Jessica Dickers Dams, Drones, Pipelines, Safety and Training, Sponsored Editorial, Water 0Every now and again a new player in an industry totally revolutionises the traditional way things have always been done. Wrighteye Industries is that company – innovators in the inspection of water reservoirs for the water and mining industries. Wrighteye Industries specialises in the use of robotics in underwater environments. Services include infrastructure inspection and intervention in dams, reservoirs, tanks […]
Changing skies: new regulations for drone operators
Jessica Dickers Digital Utilities, Drones, Policy, Safety and Training 0by Peter Gibson, Manager Corporate Communications, Civil Aviation Safety Authority Australia’s Civil Aviation Safety Authority (CASA) has been regulating the use of drones for a number of years. Here, we look at the latest regulations the authority is looking to introduce to ensure that the industry continues to operate efficiently and safely. Australia was a world leader in developing safety […]
Drones take flight: from fad to powerhouse
Jessica Dickers Condition Assessment, Digital Utilities, Drones, Electricity, Land access, Maintenance, Powerlines, Retail, Safety and Training, Substations, Water 0In recent years, the uses for drones have dramatically expanded, as online retailers, the construction industry, wildlife rangers and the media, to name just a few, explore the ways drones can make their day-to-day operations easier, safer and more efficient. Utilities have also been quick to explore the potential applications for drones, and here we take a look at the […]
Powerlink Queensland will continue helicopter patrols in Southern Queensland to help maintain the reliability and safety of the state’s high voltage electricity network. Powerlink Chief Executive, Merryn York, said initial patrols in the region took place during February and March and would re-commence in mid-August. “The first round of patrols was conducted in the North Brisbane, Sunshine Coast, Darling Downs […]
Aerial surveys to unlock Pilbara potential
Utility Journalist Drones, Features, Land access, Maintenance, News, Water 0Aerial surveys are underway in the Pilbara (WA) in order to assess the potential and quality of Australia’s largest water source. The surveys will also help to quantify the potential of the Canning Basin and how it can potentially be used for the Pilbara’s growth. WA Water Minister and Acting Regional Development Minister, Mia Davies, said the airborne electromagnetic survey […]
A new trial of Unmanned Aerial Vehicles (UAVs) will be carried out by Power and Water Corporation to inspect Northern Territory power networks. NT Minister for Essential Services, Willem Westra van Holthe inspected a UAV in action near transmission lines in Darwin. Power and Water has more than 10,265km of powerlines across the Northern Territory that need to be inspected […]
Drones for aquatic weed treatment
Utility Journalist Drones, Land access, Maintenance, News, Water 0A trial of an unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) is being undertaken by Seqwater for the management of aquatic weeds on its lakes. The innovative approach to treating floating aquatic weeds was initially trialled at Somerset Dam last month. Seqwater Chief Executive Officer, Peter Dennis, said the trial sites were selected based on difficulty to access the weed infestations by boat […]
Following on from our feature on unmanned aerial vehicles in the last issue of Utility, we take a closer look at how drones, equipped with high quality imagery technology, are providing network owners’ new perspectives of their assets in unprecedented detail. The concept of unmanned aircraft has been around for decades, with various developments and applications centred on military purposes. […]
Aerial drones: the future of asset inspection
Utility Journalist Condition Assessment, Dams, Drones, Maintenance, Mapping & GIS, Projects, Water 0Unmanned aerial systems are being employed for asset inspection by a growing number of utilities throughout the world. Using drones for asset inspection provides a number of substantial improvements over traditional inspection methods, including benefits to safety, efficiency and data quality. We spoke to Melbourne Water Technology Enablement Specialist Frank Courtney about the company’s recent trials of drone technology. Across […]
Drones and public liability: where do we stand?
Utility Journalist Condition Assessment, Drones, Land access, Policy, Sponsored Editorial 0As the popularity of drones continues to grow, these marvels of technology are now being purchased over the counter and through the mail for recreational and professional purposes across Australia. This rapid proliferation of small drones has created a significant challenge for the Civil Aviation Safety Authority (CASA), the body responsible for enforcing current rules while developing future regulations that […]
Helicopters inspect electricity assets
Utility Journalist Company news, Condition Assessment, Drones, Electricity, News, Powerlines 0AusNet Services, formerly SP AusNet, will be flying its helicopter along main powerlines from Wangaratta to Kilmore in Victoria, photographing electricity assets as part of the company’s maintenance and bushfire mitigation programs. Helicopter inspections allow the company to photograph a large volume of assets in challenging terrains and diverse landscapes across its electricity network spanning 80,000 square kilometres in eastern […]
Aerial inspection of powerlines in Gippsland region
Utility Journalist Company news, Condition Assessment, Drones, Electricity, News, Powerlines 0AusNet Services, formerly SP AusNet, will be flying its helicopter along main powerlines from Cann River to Wonthaggi, Victoria, next week, photographing electricity assets as part of the company’s maintenance and bushfire mitigation programs. Helicopter inspections allow the company to photograph a large volume of assets in challenging terrains and diverse landscapes across its electricity network spanning 80,000km² in eastern […]
SP-Ausnet begins helicopter inspections
Utility Journalist Drones, Electricity, Maintenance, News, Powerlines 0SP AusNet will soon begin flying its helicopter along powerlines near Seymour, Benalla and Yea (VIC) to photograph electricity assets as part of the company’s maintenance and bushfire mitigation programs. Helicopter inspections allow the company to photograph a large volume of assets across the challenging terrains and diverse landscapes of its electricity network, spanning 80,000 kilometres in eastern Victoria. SP […]
VIC water suppliers make BRW’s innovative companies list
Utility Journalist Company news, Drones, News, Stormwater, Sustainability, Water, Water and Wastewater Treatment 0Melbourne Water has been named in BRW’s 50 Most Innovative Companies of 2013, taking out 26th place on the prestigious list, ahead of automotive, financial and other private commercial businesses. Yarra Valley Water also made the list, coming in at number 47. Melbourne Water’s place on BRW’s Most Innovative list was based on two projects: a major upgrade to the […]
Balancing act: future-proofing Australia’s electricity network
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