Drone Inspections In The Utility Industry

Experts believe that drones are the future for executing inspections in the utility industry. As a part of its maintenance protocol, many utility industries deploy UAVs (Unmanned Aerial Vehicles) or drones for an accurate and effective aerial survey. Besides a plethora of benefits, the ability of drones to offer better data, low upfront costs of equipment and their remarkable efficiency, has escalated their use across large and medium-sized companies as well.

Accuracy during inspection is of utmost importance in the energy sector, where a slight negligence can cause an irreparable damage to the company, life and/or property. Before the advent

of UAVs, the utility industry relied mostly on the traditional methods of inspection. These procedures, such as helicopter inspection, lineman, ground sensors, cloud computing and the like, involve a synthesis of physical labor and aerial photography which are costly to perform and fatal to human lives. Helicopters in utility inspection make for an expensive solution than a drone since their costs include operating charges, a highly trained pilot and professional crew fees, fuel, maintenance, insurance and other expenses. On an average, the daily cost of using a chopper for inspection purposes will depend upon the intricacy of details in the work scope along with external factors. The flight path of a chopper may put up industrial safety concerns that need to be alleviated in order to prevent the possibility of any fatality.

Capturing photos is usually done by binoculars and cameras mounted on a helicopter or handheld cameras which are subject to environmental conditions such as wind, turbulence, etc. Unlike drones, they only provide a top-down view of the site. Similarly, ground sensors provide fragmented data since they are capable of analyzing the area only from the angle they are installed. They are unable to furnish accurate data for a larger site and are also time- consuming.

 

Based on the annual fatality rate,

linework tops the list of the 10 most hazardous jobs in the world. Not only does it require heavy physical labor, it is also life-threatening. The responsibilities of a lineman include power supply to factories, hospitals, schools, commercial and residential setups, etc. though they are not much

recognized for the chances they take on their lives every day. Working on electrical lines and poles, linemen are exposed to some of the most dangerous risks including falling, electrocution, burns, fires, explosions and injuries such as sprains, fractures, etc.

Surpassing all traditional solutions, these unmanned aircraft systems offer uncountable benefits for powerline inspection. Being light-weight and easily maneuvered, they are affordable and require about a fraction or even less of the cost of hiring a helicopter for the same purpose. Drones have the ability to get much closer to the assets being monitored providing the minutest of details, all this without compromising on the credibility. They render high resolution images and provide access to remote, rural and hard-to-reach locations. Saving hundreds of hazardous man-hours, they avoid the need of linemen to come in close proximity with the power lines. Drones follow a faster inspection routine and a safer operation which keeps labor costs at minimal. As the drone hovers around the site, it covers all aspects from every possible angle, giving utility companies the benefit of identifying key issues easily.

The UAV technology is rapidly progressing each day with advancements in tilt sensors, accelerometers, magnetic sensors, improved UV corona detection, better remote controls and propulsion, etc. The latest versions of drones are equipped with Global Navigational Satellite Systems (GNSS) such as GPS technology, Infrared cameras, laser and other state-of-the-art technics. Most of them come with Obstacle Sensing/Detection, Collision Avoidance, Gyro Stabilization, IMU, Battery Indicators, Return-To-Home, Warnings, UAV Range features and more.

Realizing the ever-evolving Drone Technology, the precision of drone data, affordability and the broad spectrum of coverage, companies in the utility industry have embraced the practicality of using drones for inspection.

The Waging War

No nothing to do with battles and bloodshed here! 

This is the war that is continuously waging in our minds, every single day. Some of us have sleepless nights after the indulgence, the guilt trips, while some keep checking calories after every meal furiously. Some have gone too far and become anorexic. Yes, you got it now! We are talking about the war between the love of food and not wanting to get fat.
How difficult is it to restrain yourself from the temptations of food you know will add some kilos around the waistline? Yet, we indulge. Those with a better control over their tastebuds, will be less at fault but the yearning for a bite will keep their minds occupied for the rest of the day. A lesser-known Shakespeare once said, "To eat or not to eat, that is the question"!
I like calling myself 'foodie on a diet' because that's what my entire existence is about! Nothing tastes better with a little bit of cheese and grease which is why I don't mind having every meal of the day with butter or cheddar. Be it a roti ( Indian flatbread ) or rice, my gluttonous self will try to find a way to include these melt-in-the-mouth flavors. Junk food is not the only culprit, chicken korma with a buttery, garlic naan or pilau rice won't help you shed any kilos either. So what do I do? Even if I don't gorge on pizzas and pastas, I am still on my way to the land of muffin-top eating dishes which are commonly cooked in an Indian household. "This waging war" compelled me to write a little couplet on myself:

I indulge,
I bulge,
I regret,
I diet,
I lose
And this vicious circle continues.

Keto, Atkins, Intermittent Fasting, GM and what not- I've tried them all (my secret desire was to have a taste of the variety in these diets!) I even tried substituting my meal with the legendary 'salad' but it didn't work out too. No, no! I am not guilty that I added mayo to that bowl as a dressing. At least, it had 'boiled' (read: not fried) penne.
With this 'divine devouring' and diet experiments, I am surely going to come up with my own diet pretty soon. A diet which strugglers like me would relish without counting calories. Of course, I'll name it "Diet-plan for Gluttons".
At times, I ask myself, "why does the food we love makes us fat?" Rather "why are the fattening foods so tasteful?" Still on the lookout for an answer munching this Lindt!

Shopping Made Easy at Own The Looks!

Women love to shop till they drop! A bunch of maxi dresses, n number of tops in almost every other print and design, and ten pairs of denims are never enough! There is always so much more to it, as a lot of trends keep cropping up in the fashion scene and it sometimes gets hard to keep up with them!

Even before visiting a women’s clothing store, the fairer sex is vividly dreaming about the pieces they would grab first! Every woman, every girl tries to get some inspiration to own the looks of their favourite celebs. But the very next moment, this dream bubble bursts and they are reminded of the hassles of getting ready, navigating through traffic (especially during peak shopping seasons—sales and festivals) and the frequent, tiring trips to try on that outfit. How lucky you feel when you find no queues for the trial room, don’t you?  But more or less, this stage of waiting to try on that piece (which may also possibly be clutched by some other woman in the queue—and there your mood is ruined!) has to be traversed, ‘cause everything comes at a cost!

With Own The Looks—a shop-blog platform, experience the joy of shopping right from the comfort of your couch, besides getting a good read on our new arrivals, ongoing fashion trends, popular stuff on the block, our best-sellers and tips to style your wardrobe in the most modish way! Get some of the finest pieces from our hand-picked selection of clothes and accessories delivered to your doorstep. Indeed, we are just a click away and when it comes to fashion, you can vouch for us. We are sure to spoil you with our wide range of clothing and accessories.

Scroll through our collection of trendiest women’s tops, dresses, women’s blazers, trousers, and accessories, just sipping coffee or listening to your favourite playlist. What’s the best thing to do on your way back home from work when stuck in traffic, or during a movie break, while waiting for that order at a restaurant, or when you’re getting bored at a party?  Shop with Own The Looks! You don’t need an excuse to satisfy your shopping cravings, do you?

 Don’t miss out on our exclusive range of cardigans and coats which will keep the chill off and up your style quotient instantly! Watch out for stylish women’s jackets and blazer dresses which are a rage amongst women.

Whatever style you choose, just name it and we have it -- off-shoulder tops, oversized shirts, Bardot style tops, trendy midi dresses, jumpsuits and co-ords. Florals have been on the fashion scene these days as they make up for an elegant, feminine outfit, so make sure to scan through our stock of these girly numbers.

All women, no matter what age group they fall in, love to be pampered in their own style. Every woman has their own way of dressing up. We, at Own The Looks, take special care in catering to the needs of women with different tastes in fashion. A black, studded moto jacket to bring out your love for bikes, a delicate polka-dotted midi dress with beautifully ruffled sleeves for that girly girl you are, or a camouflage jacket with a pair of distressed denims for the devil-may-care kind of girl in you-we got them all.

Besides apparel, Own The Looks brings to you a huge collection of cool accessories like earrings, statement neckpieces, bracelets, choker necklaces which are a must to elevate your outfit. From sling-bags and totes to cross-body and even belt-bags—we have got them all. Our sunglasses are a huge hit amongst people. Oval-framed, rectangle, heart-shaped or hexagonal, tinted shades or complete black-- the list is endless and so is our collection. Sit back and enjoy this pleasing-to-the-eyes journey with us!

Talking about inspiration, Own The Looks collaborated with Fashionistas from around the GCC region and have incorporated their style into our clothing. Fouz Alfahad, Dana AlTuwairsh, Ola Farahat, and Fatima Almomen, are a few names every woman must be aware of. Own The Looks features an exclusive collection of trendsetting midi dresses, elegant gowns, tops, besides showcasing their treasure of accessories. Get innovative and grab some of the selective pieces of these style icons which will definitely gonna make heads turn and jaws drop!

Don’t miss out on our fashion journal where we regularly post blog articles and help you stay connected with the fashion world keeping up with the latest trends. Dress your best with our seasonal styling suggestions and useful shopping tips. Follow us on ownthelooks Instagram page (@ownthelooks) and stay tuned with the hottest stuff as they arrive on the scene. With affordable prices and impressive discounts, we are sure to put a smile on your face as you own the looks!

Happy Shopping!

This was a fashion blog I wrote for Own The Looks ( https://www.ownthelooks.com/collections/shop-all )