Using Unmanned Aerial Vehicle in the Energy Sector
Purpose: The article presents areas in the energy industry where drones are being used and presents the results of a study of drone use in the activities of energy service employees. Design/Methodology/Approach: Accordingly, a pilot project was conducted at the company under study, which lasted from March 2022 to April 2023. During this period, 22 employees of the company used four UAVs to carry out their daily work duties. Within the project, drones were mainly used to support the performance of visual inspections, and other work requiring support, such as the condition assessment process, which are fundamentally carried out by the Electricity Emergency Service employees from ground level. The research work carried out as part of the pilot included three stages - testing the effectiveness of using drones in detecting faults on the power grid, surveying the opinions of power service employees on the appropriateness or effectiveness of using drones in carrying out daily duties, and presenting the time differences in doing line inspections using different technologies (including drones). Findings: The results of the pilot project clearly indicated the positive aspects associated with the use of UAVs in the operations of the analyzed energy company. The use of drones in field work was characterized by high efficiency of fault identification during the realized inspection of the energy grid. In addition, a research survey carried out among the employees of the analyzed enterprise highlighted the high value of using UAVs like an everyday working tool. The research within the pilot project also showed that the use of drones also translates into certain time savings, which can then be translated into financial benefits for enterprises. Thoughtful use of drones to inspect energy grid can significantly improve the quality of their service and even allow failure prediction. Practical Implications: Therefore, the results of the research work carried out as part of the pilot project have been used by the company to implement the UAV on a full scale. At the same time, the conclusions in the article can serve other energy companies to promote drone technology and implement the solution in business operations. Originality/Value: Benefits can be obtained in improving the efficiency of energy infrastructure and successively reducing the failure rate through preventive removal of perceived risks.