Unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) landing on a 315 kV test bench.

Here is a glimpse of the work being done at Hydro-Québec’s Research Institute (IREQ) on unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs).
This robot can fly near a 315 kV energized conductor and even land on it without difficulty. It could be used to inspect energized transmission lines, a high-value task for the electric power industry.

[@charlesmarseille123]

faraday cage ftw. awesome videos and work.

[@thewildtrail]

Hi there - is there any shielding of electronic components being done there? I'm assuming the propeller guards and legs are metallic and surround the components like a faraday cage? Have you "blown up" any drones in the process? Thank you

[@hydroquebecvideo]

Propeller guards and legs contribute slightly to shield the electronic components. The most vulnerable components are shielded in a metallic box on board of the drone. We have never «blown up» electronic components because we make sure, in our labs before we land a drone on a live line, that they will be protected from intense electric and magnetic fields close to a 315 kilovolt line.