Ground Based Inspection for Overhead Transmission Line Sag

Upscaling of the energy network represents a challenge on the resilience of the electricity network and grid to ensure that there is electricity available to meet demand. Cost-effective maintenance of high power electrical lines are of critical importance and overhead linesmen face several safety concerns during inspection of catenary lines which include working in remote areas, at height and facing adverse weather conditions. Whilst some technological advancements have been made via robotic sensing and in-situ sensing systems, these proposed solutions are inadequate for hazardous weather conditions and still include risks to workers. This article presents preliminary results obtained using a Frequency Modulated Continuous Wave (FMCW) radar sensing employed as an alternative solution for the measurement of sag in high power transmission lines. The results indicate that the FMCW radar sensor can detect multiple overhead lines within a single scan and the relevant overhead line sag. Results when compared against a laser distance meter provide an average accuracy of 95.5%.