Russia Tests Robotics to Modernize Power Grid Maintenance

Russian engineers are deploying drones and automated systems to monitor power lines, aiming to cut downtime and expand energy infrastructure resilience.

Russia’s energy sector is entering a new phase of innovation driven by the use of robotic and automated technologies. A Russian company recently completed successful tests of its latest power grid maintenance systems, according to Rosseti.

Engineers tested the equipment at the proving ground of the Intellectual Laboratory for Digital Grids (ILDS), using unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) to install monitoring devices directly onto power lines. These devices include short-circuit indicators that can quickly detect power outages. In the future, the same sensors may help monitor energy transmission balances.

One major advantage of this approach is that it eliminates the need to cut electricity to nearby homes and businesses during inspections and repairs. The new technology will soon be deployed in St. Petersburg and the surrounding Leningrad region.

Using robotics for power line monitoring is a first for the Russian energy sector. Automated systems are already helping monitor construction progress and assess the technical state of power infrastructure.

Looking ahead, there are plans to integrate artificial intelligence into data processing and control systems. Additionally, engineers are exploring wireless charging to support drones that deliver supplies to remote parts of Russia. The new method of locating faults on the grid promises to keep the lights on for consumers even during maintenance operations.