Zeitview Expands Drone Grid Inspection with Clearsight Buy

Zeitview (formerly DroneBase) a leader in automated inspection solutions for energy and infrastructure, has acquired substantially all assets of Clearsight, a company specializing in transmission, distribution, and substation inspections using integrated AI and analytics. This acquisition significantly bolsters Zeitview’s position in the drone-based inspection market, particularly for electric grid infrastructure.

Expanding Drone Inspection Reach

With this acquisition, Zeitview is set to inspect over 200,000 energy and infrastructure assets across more than 80 countries in 2024 alone. The company’s expanded capabilities now include a robust suite of analytic and AI tools specifically designed for transmission, distribution, substation, and generation inspection.

Dan Burton, founder and CEO of Zeitview, stated, “Clearsight has been a pioneer in electric asset inspection with a strong reputation for accuracy, expertise, security and safety — values we hold in the highest esteem.”

Enhanced AI and Analytics for Grid Inspection

The acquisition brings Clearsight’s utility-focused data analysis suite and AI models under Zeitview’s umbrella. This integration allows Zeitview to offer a more comprehensive “farm to grid” solution for their renewable energy customers, covering wind and solar site inspections as well as analytics for transmission and substation interconnects.

Robert McNamara, former COO of Clearsight and now Head of T&D Operations at Zeitview, emphasized the significance of this move: “Zeitview’s acquisition of the Clearsight assets creates a company with unrivaled depth and scale in digital asset management of critical infrastructure.”

Drone Technology’s Role in Grid Maintenance

While not explicitly mentioned in the press release, it’s clear that drone technology plays a crucial role in Zeitview’s inspection services. Drones are increasingly being used for efficient and safe inspections of electric grid infrastructure, including transmission lines, distribution networks, and substations.

The acquisition of Clearsight’s assets, particularly its AI and analytics capabilities, will likely enhance Zeitview’s ability to process and analyze data collected by drones during these inspections. This could lead to more accurate, faster, and cost-effective maintenance of critical energy infrastructure.

DroneXL’s Take

The acquisition of Clearsight by Zeitview represents a significant step forward in the application of drone technology for infrastructure inspection, particularly in the energy sector. As the grid continues to evolve with the integration of renewable energy sources, the need for efficient and accurate inspection methods becomes increasingly crucial.

Zeitview’s expanded capabilities align with the growing trend of using AI-enhanced drone inspections in the utility industry. This acquisition could potentially lead to more reliable power delivery and faster response times to infrastructure issues, ultimately benefiting both utility companies and consumers.

As the drone industry continues to mature, we can expect to see more consolidation and specialization in sectors like energy infrastructure inspection. Zeitview’s move positions them at the forefront of this trend, potentially setting new standards for how drones are used in maintaining and improving our critical energy systems.