If trees are lying on the tracks after a storm, a quick overview of the damage is important for rail operations. With a new purchase, the railway wants to speed things up from 2025.
Deutsche Bahn plans to monitor its rail network with long-distance drones in the future. The use will be tested from next spring, the state-owned company announced at the Innotrans trade fair in Berlin. The railway also presented a prototype there. “In the future, a total of around 100 of these drones will be used throughout Germany,” it said.
The railway already uses drones to assess the condition of the routes or to check the vegetation along the tracks. According to the company, the new drones have a significantly greater range (around 150 kilometers) and can also be used during ongoing rail operations. Closures are not necessary.
Cheaper and quieter than helicopters
“We can use them during normal train operations, whatever the weather, even at night,” explained Daniela Gerd tom Markotten, DB board member responsible for digitalization and technology. “This is also great for employees, as they no longer have to go out in whatever the weather, but instead get the information they need on their tablet with the help of AI.”
Compared to helicopters, the long-range drones are more flexible and can be used at short notice, and are also more cost-effective, the company said. This makes it possible, for example, to get a quicker overview of the impact on the infrastructure after a storm. “All data that the drones record while flying is available to the teams in real time and in high resolution,” it said. In addition, the fully electric drone, which is powered by batteries, is no louder than a normal conversation at less than 60 decibels during operation.
Exhibition page
Source: Stern
