08b: Drone-deployable transmission sensor unit for widespread phasor, power quality, and environmental measurement to increase grid throughput, reliability, and efficiency

Dynamic Line Ratings (DLRs) can dramatically increase transmission line current capacity, allowing increased renewable energy penetration, decreased line congestion, and prevention of line construction. However, DLR implementation highly depends on unmeasured local line wind, solar irradiation, and line conditions. Today these conditions are only modeled or measured at isolated locations along a span. We propose to develop a low-cost DLR sensor package integrating readily available components, which can be inexpensively installed by drone at numerous (as much as every span/tower) locations along transmission lines. These sensors can provide real-time environmental (wind, temperature), power quality (phasor, voltage, current), and line characteristics (line sag, temperature, vibration) wirelessly to a wide area management system. This data could dramatically increase average line capacity, reducing transmission congestion and minimizing or eliminating overloading. Operation at proper line temperature could increase transmission line efficiency and allow wider penetration of intermittent renewable energy resources. Our phase I SBIR grant will develop and calibrate a prototype sensor drone deployable sensor. It will also demonstrate deployment of the sensor on a de-energized cable via our unique installation and maintenance drone. These tasks will allow for network demonstrations and field deployment testing in phase II SBIR.