Summary
The reliability of power transmission systems is highly dependent on the condition of transmission line components, particularly insulators, whose failure can lead to outages, safety risks, and increased maintenance costs. In large transmission networks, traditional manual patrolling practices are increasingly challenged by the scale of assets, difficult terrain, and dependency on individual experience for defect identification. While drone-based patrolling has improved inspection coverage and data quality, it has simultaneously resulted in the generation of very large volumes of image data that are difficult to analyse using conventional methods. This paper presents the application of Artificial Intelligence (AI) and Machine
Read more Read lessLearning (ML) techniques for automated detection and classification of insulator defects from drone-captured images. A custom trained deep learning model based on “You Only Look Once”
(YOLO) object detection framework has been developed and trained on images collected during transmission line patrolling. The model has demonstrated an accuracy of 95% on test datasets.
In addition to model development, a flask-based web application has been developed to enable field engineers to upload images and obtain automated defect classification along with structured reports mapped to tower numbers and geographic coordinates. The solution is being integrated into organizational backend systems to support scheduled drone patrolling activities.
The work described in this paper represents a practical step towards large-scale adoption of AI based condition assessment in transmission line asset management.
Additional informations
| Publication type | Session Materials |
|---|---|
| Reference | D1_10516_2026 |
| Publication year | |
| Publisher | CIGRE |
| Country | India |
| Study committees | |
| File size | 1 MB |
| Price for non member | 30 € |
| Price for member | 30 € |
Authors
REDDY* Sundeep - Power Grid Corporation of India Limited; SODHA N S - Ex. Power Grid Corporation of India Limited; BALI Atul Kumar - Power Grid Corporation of India Limited
Keywords
Transmission Line Insulator Defect Detection and Diagnostics
