Over the last several months, the ARE-AirShark UAS and engineering team have been putting their skills to work. The team has developed a payload, attached to an sUAS (small Unmanned Aerial System) to lift, pull, install, and release a sock line used to string power lines across distribution and transmission towers. Testing continues on a design that allows the UAS to land without releasing the sock line in situations where that’s required. Later this month, our teams will demonstrate the use of sUAS for stringing sock lines across an 800+ feet body of water. Utilizing the right aircraft and payload system is critical for overcoming reel and line tension, the force of the pulley gate, distance traveled, and sufficient time for safely releasing the sock line or landing with the line attached.
The video shows a preview of how this looks from the air. Our flight and engineering teams are continuously working to improve the methods in which applying the sUAS can become a safe; repeatable; and reliable method of stringing sock lines. Keep an eye on our website and social media channels as these pilot programs progress.
