NYPA adds AI to drone inspection and analysis of power lines

Already accustomed to using drones to inspect its enormous 1,400 circuit miles of transmission infrastructure, the New York Power Authority (NYPA) says it’s now turning to artificial intelligence (AI) analytics to both speed up and improve detection of weak points requiring repair, and take action to prevent costly outages.

To make infrastructure images brought back by its inspection drones more manageable and useful, the NYPA has turned to AI tech startup Buzz Solutions, whose platforms considerably speed the analysis process while maintaining an accuracy rate of 85%. 

In addition to automating what was previously a painstaking manual procedure, the self-learning capacities of AI create a virtuous spiral of increasingly quick and efficient monitoring of infrastructure data.

Read: Skyfire aids PG&E earn California-wide BVLOS drone infrastructure inspection waiver

NYPA tapped Palo Alto-based Buzz Solutions after 2021 bidding by companies…