Drone Volt’s LineDrone Certified by EDF for High-Voltage Power Line Maintenance

April 2, 2026 — Drone Volt, a leading French provider of professional civilian drones and embedded artificial intelligence solutions, today announced that its LineDrone DLR SX has been successfully qualified by EDF’s High Voltage dielectric laboratories.

Developed in partnership with Hydro-Québec and Ampacimon, the LineDrone DLR SX is the first drone in the world capable of landing directly on live high-voltage power lines, enabling inspection and maintenance operations without interrupting power supply.

During EDF’s testing campaign, the drone and its deployment system were exposed to extreme electrical conditions, including voltage levels of approximately 800,000 volts between phases. The onboard sensor also demonstrated resilience to voltage surges of up to 2.1 million volts.

Following these successful tests, the LineDrone DLR SX has been officially certified for operation on very high-voltage lines, up to 765,000 volts between phases. DroneVolt views this certification as a major milestone toward broader adoption of this technology by leading utility operators worldwide.

Addressing a Critical Operational Challenge

Maintenance of high-voltage transmission lines traditionally requires complex operations, including power shutdowns and the use of helicopter-based systems. The LineDrone enables direct intervention on live conductors while continuously collecting high-precision data on infrastructure condition, including wear and corrosion, and deploying DLR sensors.

These sensors provide:

• Measurement of line condition, including wear, corrosion, voltage, and other critical parameters
• Collection of electrical (voltage, electric field), thermal, and mechanical data (vibrations, microcracks)
• Real-time diagnostics to support predictive maintenance without power interruption

Key Benefits of LineDrone Operations

• Optimize grid performance
• Significantly reduce operational costs
• Improve safety of maintenance operations

A Large and Evolving Global Market

Developed in partnership with Hydro-Québec, the LineDrone is already deployed across several strategic regions, including North America, and is in use by five major industrial customers. This momentum reflects a broader shift toward more efficient and data-driven approaches to power grid maintenance.

The LineDrone addresses critical challenges faced by global grid operators:

• Over 80 million kilometers of power lines worldwide (Source: International Energy Agency and World Bank)
• $300–400 billion in annual investment in power grid infrastructure (Source: International Energy Agency)

About Drone Volt

Founded in 2011, DroneVolt is an aerospace manufacturer specializing in professional civilian drones and artificial intelligence. The company operates in France, the Benelux, Canada, Denmark, the Netherlands, the United States, and Switzerland.

As a global partner, DroneVolt provides turnkey solutions tailored to specific industry needs, including services and pilot training. Its customers include government agencies and major industrial organizations such as the French Armed Forces, the Ministry of Armed Forces, Engie, Total, Bouygues ES, Groupe ADP, the Air Transport Gendarmerie (GTA), and international government agencies.

DroneVolt has been recognized as an “Innovative Company” by Bpifrance.

Source: DroneVolt