Axia Energia plans BRL 28M drone inspections

Axia Energia conducted its first remote drone inspections at the Jacarepagua substation in Rio de Janeiro and the Foz do Iguacu substation in Parana. The company plans to invest BRL 28 million to expand this remote monitoring technology to 150 additional assets over the next four years.

The project uses automated docking bases and Beyond Visual Line of Sight (BVLOS) drones that generate high-precision 3D models. The aircraft have an operating autonomy of up to 50 minutes and feature thermal cameras, zoom capabilities, and automatic image downloading upon landing. Drones link directly into the company's Building Information Modeling (BIM) systems, which serve as virtual representations of the installations.

The company chose the two initial substations for their strategic importance and favorable test logistics. Foz do Iguacu manages power exchanges between Brazil's Southeast and South regions, while Jacarepagua supplies power to parts of the city of Rio de Janeiro. Axia conducted regulatory procedures with the National Civil Aviation Agency (Anac) and the Department of Airspace Control (Decea) to certify six internal BVLOS drone operators.

Lucas Pinz, director of the Digital Center of Excellence at Axia Energia, stated that the program forms part of a broader digital strategy across asset lifecycles from studies to maintenance. Mario Ellis, operational safety director at the utility, highlighted that remote drones aim to reduce workplace exposure to hazards and improve field safety.