Zhoushan, Zhejiang: Independently Developed UAV Live-line Water Washing Technology Usheres in New Chapter of Intelligent Operation and Maintenance

On September 5, 2025, State Grid Zhoushan Power Supply Company successfully completed the UAV live-line water washing operation on the three-phase glass insulators and composite insulators of the 110kV Yugou 1901 Line, pioneering a new technical path for the operation and maintenance of power grid equipment in coastal areas.

This operation focused on the live-line decontamination needs of key equipment such as glass and composite insulators for overhead lines. A heavy-load FC30 UAV and a customized water washing platform were adopted, equipped with a 10-megapascal high-pressure water gun spraying device that can carry 20 liters of deionized water at a time. Through programmed and precise control of the water jet angle and pressure, and real-time operation monitoring via an “infrared + visible light” PTZ (Pan-Tilt-Zoom) camera, efficient removal of contaminants on the surface of electrical equipment was achieved.

Due to the high humidity and high salt spray environment in coastal areas, contaminants such as small crystals gradually form on the surface of electrical equipment during long-term operation. This leads to an increase in conductive substances on the equipment surface and a gradual rise in the equipment’s salt density. In humid weather, pollution flashover accidents are highly likely to occur, resulting in line tripping, equipment damage, and even large-scale power outages, which seriously threaten the safe and stable operation of the power grid.

The team of State Grid Zhoushan Power Supply Company conducted systematic professional tests in the early stage, carrying out live-line washing tests on different types of equipment such as insulators, arresters, and cable terminations. Test data showed that after UAV live-line water washing, the salt density on the equipment surface decreased from 0.0645 mg/cm² to 0.0034 mg/cm² without affecting the normal operation of the equipment. This effectively and significantly reduced the probability of pollution flashover accidents for the equipment, providing new technical support for the safe and stable operation of the power grid.

The traditional manual wiping and cleaning method has long operation cycles, limited efficiency, and risks to personal safety. In contrast, UAV live-line water washing can efficiently remove various contaminants on the insulator surface with a more thorough and uniform cleaning effect. While achieving a more significant reduction in salt density and dust density values, it also effectively reduces the risks of manual climbing and the frequency of power outages, further providing new technical support for the safe and stable operation of the power grid.

According to the person in charge, the results of this operation will provide important technical support for the operation and maintenance of power grid equipment in high-humidity and high-salt-spray coastal environments. In the future, the team will further optimize the operation process, promote the large-scale application of this technology, and help improve the safe operation level of the power grid. (By Liu Mingkang/Ding Tongzhen)