Could you start with a brief introduction to your company, your objectives, and what you do?
sees.ai was founded in 2018 by four co-founders. My background is in engineering, and I'm primarily focused on the commercial aspects now. My three co-founders have impressive backgrounds: our VP Engineering had a senior role in the McLaren F1 team guiding Lewis Hamilton to win his first world championship in 2008; our CTO twice won the America's Cup at Oracle Racing; and our VP Software has extensive experience building risk management and trading software for billion dollar hedge funds. Our core technology enables connected and autonomous remote operation of unmanned aerial vehicles, allowing people to control these systems from a control room, no matter where they are on Earth.
Our primary focus is on critical national infrastructure, particularly the electricity grid. We enable companies that own and operate these assets to understand their condition in minute detail, which is crucial for the electrification process and the broader sustainability industry.
How can you achieve such precise inspections with your drones?
We achieve precision by flying drones very close to the assets, sometimes even between the wires, allowing us to inspect components that can't be seen with traditional methods like helicopters. We use relatively inexpensive but high-quality sensors, such as the Sony A7R 60-megapixel camera, to capture detailed images from two to three meters away from the asset. The key is capturing high-quality, structured data that can be fed into machine learning algorithms. By imaging from the same angle and distance we enable our clients to more easily detect anomalies and hence to identify issues such as cracks or missing components.
Why is Beyond Visual Line of Sight (BVLOS) permission important for inspecting power line assets?
BVLOS allows us to fly drones without having a direct line of sight, which significantly increases operational efficiency. Traditionally, inspecting a power line requires someone to be on-site with the drone, which involves accessing rural and sometimes hard-to-reach locations, dealing with potential hazards, and managing many people across vast areas. BVLOS enables skilled operators to control drones from a centralized location, reducing the need for on-site personnel and allowing for rapid response times. This approach is particularly beneficial for inspecting massive linear infrastructure like power lines, where deploying humans to each site is time-consuming and complex.
What potential do you see for AI in this field, especially regarding data management and reducing life cycle costs?
AI has immense potential to extract value from the vast amounts of data we collect. By capturing high-quality, structured data and mapping it to the 3D structure of the asset, we enable our client to leverage machine learning algorithms to analyze the data effectively. This allows clients to group images of specific components, track their condition over time, and conduct failure mode analysis. AI can also identify issues like rust or cracks more accurately by comparing images from the same angle and orientation over time. This comprehensive approach provides valuable insights for asset management, helping to optimize maintenance and reduce life cycle costs.
Considering the rapid growth in drone technology, do you see this becoming scalable and widely available soon?
Absolutely. We are currently in the latter stages of the "slowly, slowly, then all at once" growth phase. Regulatory permissions are opening up, asset owners are getting comfortable with the technology, and the necessary technologies like autonomy, connectivity, and data processing are converging. Within two years, we aim to deploy our capabilities nationally in the UK from a central control room, which will be a groundbreaking achievement. This will not only support critical national infrastructure but also pave the way for broader applications. The growth in drone technology is exponential, and we are on the cusp of a significant transformation.
Are there other sectors where drones could be as revolutionary as in infrastructure inspection?
Yes, there is a clear progression in aviation technology that we follow, starting with safe applications in closed industrial sites and gradually moving towards more complex uses. From industrial applications to emergency services, logistics, and eventually carrying people, each step builds on the previous one. For example, we will see drones used for point-to-point logistics and delivering packages before we see widespread use of drone taxis. This progressive risk management approach ensures safety and builds public trust. Each use case, from industrial to emergency services, will have a significant impact and pave the way for more advanced applications in the future.
What are the main challenges that need to be solved for the future of drones carrying people to become a reality?
There are numerous challenges, ranging from manufacturing, pilot availability, and societal acceptance to economics, mass manufacturing, and noise control. While mobility and drone taxis are exciting and well-understood, industrial use cases are more immediate and tangible. For instance, upgrading the electricity grid using data captured by autonomous systems is a critical near-term application that will have a profound impact. Developing infrastructure in cities for drone taxis, dealing with local objections, and ensuring safety will all take time. Therefore, the focus should be on near-term, high-impact applications like industrial inspections and emergency services, which will lay the groundwork for more advanced uses like carrying people.
Given the potential for drones to carry people, what are the main challenges you need to tackle in the next few years to make this a reality?
There are many challenges, from societal acceptance and regulatory approvals to technological advancements and infrastructure development.
For drone taxis to become a reality, we need significant progress in manufacturing, pilot availability, mass production, and noise control. While the vision of drone taxis is compelling, the immediate focus should be on more tangible applications like industrial inspections and emergency services.
These applications are more achievable in the near term and will help build the necessary infrastructure and public trust for future advancements in drone technology.
Are there any other sectors where drones could be as revolutionary as in infrastructure inspection?
Yes, the progression of drone technology will see it revolutionizing various sectors over time. Starting with safe applications in closed industrial sites, we will gradually move towards more complex uses. Emergency services, logistics, and eventually carrying people are all on the horizon. For example, drones will be used for point-to-point logistics and delivering packages before we see widespread use of drone taxis. This progressive risk management approach ensures safety and builds public trust. Each use case, from industrial to emergency services, will significantly impact and pave the way for more advanced applications in the future.
