KPTCL's Drone Tech Spots 1.5 Lakh Grid Defects, Cuts Outages by 85% in Karnataka

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KPTCL's Drone Tech Spots 1.5 Lakh Grid Defects, Cuts Outages by 85% in Karnataka

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Karnataka Power Transmission Corporation Limited (KPTCL) has deployed an AI-enabled drone fleet that identified and rectified over 1.5 lakh (150,000) technical defects during a multi-week pilot and reduced transmission-related outages by 85% across the state's high-voltage power transmission network. "Henceforth, the fleet of drones will inspect more than 11,000 high voltage and extra-high voltage transmission towers across Karnataka. During the pilot study over the past few weeks, the drones have identified and rectified over 1.5 lakh technical defects and helped reduce transmission-related outages by 85%," said Ram Prasath Manohar, IAS, managing director, KPTCL. The deployment replaces the previous practice of manually climbing transmission towers, which are often located in forests, hilly terrain, and other inaccessible locations. The technology-driven initiative marks a major milestone in Karnataka's power-sector digital transformation as utilities worldwide increasingly deploy AI, drones, and digital twin technology to modernise electricity networks. The pilot ran over several weeks and targeted high-voltage and extra-high-voltage towers in Karnataka. KPTCL now plans to expand the drone fleet to cover its full network of more than 11,000 HV and EHV transmission towers as part of an ongoing rollout. Each drone carries a high-resolution optical camera, a thermal imaging system, and a LiDAR sensor. "Thermal cameras detect abnormal heat signatures and hotspots caused by loose electrical connections or deteriorating equipment, allowing utilities to undertake predictive maintenance before faults develop into major outages," a senior KPTCL technical officer explained. The drone programme covers KPTCL's full HV and EHV network of more than 11,000 transmission towers and supports predictive maintenance workflows that surface defects before they escalate into major outages. The aerial-survey data is being integrated into KPTCL's digital asset management system as part of a broader digital transformation roadmap that will eventually extend to additional grid operations.