Velodyne Lidar supplies LineVision with sensors to improve electric utility operations
Velodyne Lidar has announced a sales agreement with LineVision, Inc., a provider of solutions to monitor, optimize and protect the world’s critical electric power grid.
LineVision uses Velodyne high-performance lidar sensors in its V3 overhead power line monitoring system to help electric utilities operate their grid more safely and efficiently.
Powered by Velodyne’s Puck™ sensor, LineVision’s technology provides utility clients with previously unavailable visibility on asset health for optimized management. This situational awareness assists utilities by identifying operational anomalies, helping to mitigate events that could cause wildfires or damage before they happen. Lines equipped with LineVision monitoring are safer, more reliable, and can carry up to 40 percent more power than unmonitored lines.
The LineVision V3 system leverages Velodyne’s sensors along with advanced analytics to continuously monitor the condition of electric power lines for safer and more reliable operation. The system can detect problems that include lines that are sagging, damaged by a storm, or experiencing dangerous extreme motion, or “galloping.”
“The tragic wildfires that the western United States is experiencing show it is critical to monitor overhead electric transmission lines to help reduce fire hazards,” said Anand Gopalan, CEO, Velodyne Lidar. “LineVision’s technology can help utilities prevent fires such as the ones that have had a devastating impact on our forests and neighbourhoods. We are enormously proud to be partnering with LineVision on its important mission of making the power grid safer and more efficient.”
The V3 system also provides Dynamic Line Rating (DLR) capabilities so utilities can identify unused capacity on transmission lines, making it easier to integrate renewable energy resources into the power grid. LineVision’s clients include major utilities across the world with the company having recently announced a project with the Tennessee Valley Authority (TVA), among others.
“Velodyne is an important partner in helping us deliver the electric industry’s only non-contact overhead line monitoring solution,” said Jonathan Marmillo, Co-founder and Vice President of Product Management, LineVision. “The Puck provides our V3 system with what I believe is best-in-class image resolution and real-time data accuracy that are essential to helping our utility clients maximize the safety and efficiency of their lines.”
Velodyne Puck sensors provide rich computer perception data that make it quick and easy for companies to build highly accurate 3D models of any environment. The Puck delivers a high-resolution surround view image that can accurately measure and analyse the environment. It is a small, compact lidar sensor suitable for rugged industrial usage. The Puck’s reliability, power-efficiency and versatility make it an ideal solution for demanding infrastructure applications.
