{"id":22642,"date":"2024-12-11T09:20:53","date_gmt":"2024-12-10T23:20:53","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.originenergy.com.au\/blog\/?p=22642"},"modified":"2024-12-12T14:12:34","modified_gmt":"2024-12-12T04:12:34","slug":"how-drone-in-a-box-tech-is-changing-the-game","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.originenergy.com.au\/blog\/how-drone-in-a-box-tech-is-changing-the-game\/","title":{"rendered":"How drone-in-a-box tech is changing the game"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

A new era of remote drone operations for Origin is taking flight, revolutionising project management by enabling inspections from hundreds or even thousands of kilometres away. With cutting-edge \u201cdrone-in-a-box\u201d technology and Beyond Visual Line of Sight (BVLOS) approval, we’re transforming how our infrastructure and construction sites, like the Mortlake Power Station battery project, are monitored\u2014keeping tabs on sites and assets without needing to be on-site.<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n

In a cordoned-off corner of our Brisbane office, Chief Remote Pilot, Matt Jeffs, is gearing up for another drone flight. He conducts final checks, eyes flitting across three monitors displaying various data, video feeds, and charts.\u00a0<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cPreparing box,\u201d Matt speaks into his headset. \u201cPrepare for take-off\u2026 Spinning up\u2026 And we\u2019re off.\u201d <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Nearly 1,750 kilometres away at Victoria’s Mortlake Power Station<\/a>, a drone comes to life. Emerging from its “drone-in-a-box” station\u2014a container doubling as its landing pad and charging hub\u2014it ascends smoothly. Following a pre-programmed route, it surveys the construction of a 300-megawatt large-scale battery<\/a> taking shape next to the power station. 
 
Back in Brisbane, Matt keeps a close eye on the drone\u2019s journey. He checks the airspace, chats with any nearby pilots if needed, keeps tabs on the weather, and makes sure everything\u2019s running smoothly.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

As the drone flies over the site, it captures sharp, detailed aerial images. These images are later processed to correct any distortions, ensuring they match up perfectly with maps and elevation data. The outcome? Clear, reliable insights that help the Mortlake Battery project<\/a> team track progress, visualise the site, share updates with off-site team members, and plan upcoming activities more effectively.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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A drone-captured aerial view of the Mortlake BESS site. Battery cubes awaiting installation are seen in the distance near the Mortlake Power Station.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

Breaking barriers with beyond visual line-of-sight approval<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

A game-changer for Origin, this operation represents a major leap forward, enabled by recent approval from the Civil Aviation Safety Authority (CASA) for Beyond Visual Line of Sight (BVLOS) drone operations. This approval allows our qualified operators to pilot drones from its Brisbane Remote Operations Centre, even when those drones are located hundreds or thousands of kilometres away. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

The drone-in-a-box system at Mortlake highlights the potential of this technology. With its ability to autonomously launch, land, and recharge, allowing us to remotely track construction progress, reducing the need for on-site personnel. 
 
\u201cThe drone at Mortlake has been flying twice a week since the project began in August,\u201d Matt says. \u201cFor much of the Mortlake Battery<\/a> team, who are based off-site, this technology is a valuable tool. It lets us inspect activities, track changes, and measure site features\u2014all without being there in person.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Revolutionising project management<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Origin Project Engineer James King, involved in the Mortlake project<\/a> from the start of construction, says, \u201cSharing drone-captured imagery with the team has transformed how we track progress\u2014 it\u2019s often easier to convey progress visually than through written updates.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cFor instance, our project scheduler uses these images to track the progress of construction, identifying areas where we\u2019re ahead or behind schedule.  
 
\u201cPersonally, I\u2019ve found it incredibly useful to overlay site drawings onto drone photo maps to anticipate potential challenges.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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Origin Chief Remote Pilot Matt Jeffs monitors a drone flying over the Mortlake battery project, 1750km away, from the Brisbane Remote Operation Centre.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n
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A future in flight<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Years of development, rigorous testing, and regulatory hurdles have culminated in this moment. The Mortlake project<\/a> is just the beginning of our ambitions in utilising drones. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cWe\u2019re thrilled to be at the forefront of drone operations within the energy sector,\u201d Matt says. 
 
\u201cDeploying drone-in-a-box solutions like this one at key sites across our portfolio is just the start. As drone technology continues to evolve, we anticipate even more innovative applications to emerge.\u201d <\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cFor Origin, the skies are not the limit\u2014they\u2019re just the beginning.\u201d <\/p>\n\n\n\n

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Learn more about the Mortlake project<\/a><\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n
<\/div>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

We delve into how drone-in-a-box technology is changing the game for large-scale battery projects.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"featured_media":22669,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[151],"tags":[125],"oe_author":[],"class_list":["post-22642","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-news","tag-generation"],"acf":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.originenergy.com.au\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/22642","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.originenergy.com.au\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.originenergy.com.au\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.originenergy.com.au\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/38"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.originenergy.com.au\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=22642"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.originenergy.com.au\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/22642\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.originenergy.com.au\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/22669"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.originenergy.com.au\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=22642"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.originenergy.com.au\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=22642"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.originenergy.com.au\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=22642"},{"taxonomy":"oe_author","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.originenergy.com.au\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/oe_author?post=22642"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}