Duke Robotics signed an agreement with the Israel Electric Corporation (IEC), a public and 99% government-owned company that generates, transmits, and supplies electricity to all sectors of the State of Israel. Duke Robotics will introduce a first-of-its-kind robotic, drone-enabled system for cleaning electric utility insulators. This new system – the IC Drone – is under development and is based on Duke Robotics’s advanced intellectual property (IP) and know-how that integrates algorithms, autonomous systems, and robotic technologies used in mission-critical applications. The above marks Duke Robotics’ first collaboration for its civilian application.
Maintenance of high voltage electrical infrastructure requires routine cleaning of insulators in order to optimize system efficiency and prevent power outages. Currently, the global standard for routine cleaning of insulators involves the use of helicopter fleets and crane trucks.
IC Drone offers a revolutionary, cost-efficient, and safer method for this essential infrastructure service. UAS Drone expects its IC Drone system will be operationally launched in H2 2023, and revenues are expected to commence in H2 2023.
“We believe our high-performance, mission-critical drone technology and know-how have untapped potential in the civilian market. IC Drone, for electrical infrastructure maintenance, is the first product that will be released in the civilian market,” said Yossef Balucka CEO of UAS Drone Corp. “We are pleased to work with the Israeli National Electricity Company and believe this collaboration regarding IC Drone will benefit both parties.”