By using drones and Artificial Intelligence (AI), Halden-based eSmart Systems aims to help provide Americans with power as soon as possible.

Representatives from the company are now in place in Florida to assist US power companies in clearing up after the storm.

This article is translated from the Norwegian Broadcasting Corporation (NRK). Read the full article (in Norwegian) here.

Over six million homes and companies lost power due to destructions caused by hurricane “Irma” in Florida. Local power vendors say it will take weeks before the power grid is 100 percent up and running again.

A great part of the challenge is to find the fractures in the power lines – and here is where eSmart Systems comes in.

We have a mobile operational center consisting of a truck, equipped with all necessary soft- and hardware for identifying grid destructions. This mobile operational center is driven out to actual areas, before flying inspection drones along the power lines while collecting and analyzing data continuously. That way, we can locate fractures quickly

Johansen explains

Developing for Usage on Infrastructure

Data collected by the inspection drones, is analyzed using AI. Machine Learning enables the system to learn from the data it collects; gradually becoming better at identifying fractures and damages in the power grid single-handedly.

eSmart Systems is now working to further developing their technology so that it can be used on other types of infrastructure. 

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