When we imagine a drone, we usually visualize it flying at a certain height from the ground. But there are also drones that move … along the train track.
The train track inspections they are vital to keep them in good condition, and to avoid accidents.
But due to the danger of a train coming towards you at full speed, normally are held at night, or at times when there is no traffic. This invalidates many measurements that require data with real traffic, when a train walk the road.
The solution is called Staaker Railway Drone, an autonomous rail drone that rolls on the railroad track inspecting every millimeter with its sensors. When you see a train coming … take off to avoid it, and then return to the rail. You can see it in this video that looks like a CGI because of its color, but it is a real image …
Is about an autonomous rail drone developed by the Norwegian company Nordic Unmanned, with the objective of examine the condition of the tracks even when there are trains running.
The movement of the blades generates momentum forwards or backwards, depending on the direction in which they rotate.
The drone checks that the roads do not have any obstacles that disturb circulation, and thanks to its sensors it is able to detect breaks in metal, as well as logs and stones that could cause problems.
You can drive on the road to a speed of 20 km / h, and has an autonomy of about 7 hours. It is capable of inspecting 200 km of track in just one day.
The most interesting thing for railway companies is that can perform tests and measurements in real time while trains are running.
As we see in the video, the GPS and the vibratory sensors of the railway drone detect when a train is approaching. Then activate flight mode to get off the road, returning to the rail when the train has passed.
Staaker Railway Drone It is already in operation in Norway, and surely we end up seeing it in many other places, because it seems like a fairly practical tool.