RTE, the French transmission system operator (TSO), has completed a first‑of‑its‑kind installation on its transmission network: a Dynamic Line Rating (DLR) sensor installed by drone, directly from the ground and on an energized overhead line. Conducted in Haute‑Vienne in the Limousin region, the operation relied on a DLR sensor developed by Ampacimon and was completed on a live line, without deploying heavy ground‑based equipment and without interrupting power transmission.
For RTE, the purpose of this trial was to assess a new way of installing DLR sensors on its network. Using a drone allows this type of intervention to be carried out faster and with a simplified on‑site setup compared to traditional approaches, while enabling installation directly on energized lines. This installation method is being evaluated by RTE under real network conditions with a view to potential broader deployment.
Dynamic Line Rating provides a real‑time view of how much power an overhead line can safely carry under actual operating conditions. By continuously evaluating the line’s current‑carrying capacity, this approach gives transmission system operators such as RTE a precise understanding of available capacity at any given moment. Line operation can then be adjusted to account for factors such as weather, wind, solar exposure and temperature.
For RTE, this improved visibility offers a more accurate understanding of the real operating state of its overhead lines. By relying on Dynamic Line Rating, the operator can identify additional margins in the amount of power that can be transmitted and enhance flexibility in the use of existing infrastructure.
With more than twenty years of experience in Dynamic Line Rating, Ampacimon has developed the Sense X, a DLR sensor specifically designed for installation by drone, enabling deployment on overhead lines with reduced on‑site constraints.
In this project, RTE explored a new approach to deploying DLR sensors on its transmission network, using a drone operated directly from the ground to install the sensor on an energized overhead line. Compared to more traditional techniques, this method introduces a different way of intervening on transmission assets.
Using a drone streamlines on‑site interventions, reduces the need to mobilize heavy resources and limits exposure for operational teams. It also reduces constraints for the surrounding environment and for third parties, while allowing the intervention to be carried out without interrupting electricity supply.
The drone‑based installation was performed using LineDrone technology developed by Drove Volt, in collaboration with Ampacimon. This solution is specifically designed for interventions on active power lines and is approved for operations on live overhead conductors.
This operation illustrates how drone‑based installation can expand the practical deployment of Dynamic Line Rating sensors on energized transmission assets, by reducing on‑site constraints and simplifying interventions.
Ampacimon’s work in Dynamic Line Rating is grounded in long term experience and operational maturity. Active in the field since 2010, the company has developed DLR solutions that are production ready and deployed at scale. Measurement accuracy is a defining element of this approach, supported by patented conductor level wind measurement used to assess line loading conditions in real operating environments.
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