Field-Validated UAV-Based Deep Learning Framework for Automated Inspection of Power Transmission and Distribution...

The reliable inspection of power transmission and distribution infrastructure is essential for ensuring energy security, operational continuity, and asset reliability. Conventional inspection procedures are labor-intensive, costly, and often expose maintenance teams to hazardous environments. In this context, Unmanned Aerial Vehicles (UAVs) combined with artificial intelligence have emerged as an effective solution for large-scale infrastructure monitoring. This paper presents a field-validated framework for automated inspection of power transmission and distribution assets using autonomous UAV image acquisition and deep learning analysis. The proposed approach enables multiclass detection of electrical components and anomalies in high-resolution aerial imagery, without requiring computationally intensive 3D reconstruction. The framework integrates autonomous data collection, object detection, and dedicated condition assessment models into a scalable inspection workflow. The system was validated across six transmission and distribution lines located in five Brazilian states, covering 2925 support structures and a wide range of environmental and operational conditions. Experimental results achieved an overall mAP₅₀ of 0.9572 across seven target classes, with individual scores ranging from 0.8945 for corrosion detection to 0.9935 for ceramic disc insulators. Complementary classification models achieved accuracies of 0.97 for insulator contamination assessment, 0.92 for pin attachment configuration, and 0.98 for ceramic pin integrity evaluation. The results demonstrate the feasibility of deploying Artificial Intelligence (AI)-assisted UAV inspections in real utility scenarios, providing a scalable alternative for preventive maintenance, asset management, and condition-based monitoring of electrical infrastructure.