E.ON Sweden taps AI solution for infrastructure inspections

E.ON Sweden and software company Skyqraft have teamed up to digitise energy infrastructure inspections.

Before teaming up with Skyqraft, E.ON relied on helicopter-based manual inspections, where electrical engineers conducted visual assessments of infrastructure.

E.ON’s partnership with Skyqraft, which provides modern grid inspection solutions, aims to mark a significant step forward in enhancing grid reliability.

The partnership comes as E.ON Sweden, which serves more than 1 million customers in the country, has been in pursuit of enhanced defect detection and operational efficiency, seeking a solution that could streamline operations, enhance grid reliability, increase uptime and enable the integration of drones.

Powered by AI, Skyqraft’s platform combines sensor data including images, 3D point clouds and thermal imaging, to detect 10x more defects in grids than traditional methods, they state in a release, serving as the layer between data collectors, grid operations and field teams.

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“Digitising our energy infrastructure is key to a green and economically prosperous future for Europe. With Skyqraft, we’re making a long-term investment with short-term impact. By leveraging their solutions, we can significantly reduce hidden faults in our grid, creating a more dependable and resilient infrastructure,” commented Louise Gauffin, CEO of Skyqraft, in a release.

“This shift allows us to allocate resources and capital towards our priorities: expanding the grid and connecting to renewable energy sources. It transforms our focus from sustaining value to creating value, playing a pivotal role in reducing CO2 emissions and supporting the twin transition.”

Additionally, Skyqraft’s data analysis capabilities will enable E.ON Sweden to translate data into insights for more effective maintenance.

“The path to European energy security and reliability requires a massive investment in all areas of the energy system.

“We’re thrilled to be a partner to E.ON in providing grid reliability through more reliable data. By embracing solutions like Skyqraft to facilitate the move to drones E.ON is (on) their way to deliver the promise of reliable, sustainable and safe energy access to all their clients,” added Gauffin.