Webcasts

This quarterly update shared progress on the Unmanned Mobile Technologies Collaboration Group, including updates on project deliverables, upcoming conference plans, robotics industry trends, and a guest presentation from SMUD on robotic substation inspections. Key Highlights Include:

• Deliverables Status:
  • Project website remains active with meeting materials, recordings, and searchable EPRI robotics resources.
  • Robotics Forum is available for benchmarking, knowledge sharing, and peer discussions across utilities.
  • Planning continues for the EPRI Robotics Expo in October 2026, featuring live demonstrations, vendor exhibits, and utility use cases.
• Conference Update:
  • October conference will focus on aerial, ground, and underwater robotics, AI-enabled applications, cybersecurity, and hands-on vendor demonstrations.
  • Members were encouraged to register early and share both successes and implementation challenges.
• Industry Insights:
  • Energy Drone & Robotics Summit highlighted drone-based asset interaction, remote robot operation, underwater robotics, and growing interest in counter-drone technologies.
  • Boston Robotics Summit emphasized humanoid robots, physical AI, robotic manipulation, teleoperation, and AI-driven training datasets for future autonomous work.
• Guest Presentation – SMUD:
  • SMUD shared lessons learned from deploying ANYbotics quadruped robots for autonomous substation inspections.
  • Robots perform infrared inspections and support future partial discharge monitoring while maintenance workers conduct routine activities.
  • SMUD reported its first successful robotic detection of a thermal hotspot in a substation, validating the technology’s effectiveness.
  • The utility expanded the program from one robot to three and is working toward automating inspections across all 270 substations.
• Discussion Topics:
  • Cybersecurity and cloud infrastructure requirements for robotic deployments.
  • Workforce adoption and labor considerations when introducing robotics.
  • Future use cases including substation security patrols, hydro tunnel inspections, AI-assisted data review, and digital twin development

This quarterly update shared progress on the launch of the program website, robotics forum, plans for the upcoming robotics expo, insights from CES technology trends, and a guest presentation from Duke Energy on underwater robotic inspections. Key highlights include:

• Program Updates:
  • Website launched with project information, meeting materials, recordings, and a robotics report database. Future enhancements include improved search and filtering capabilities.
  • Robotics Forum launched to support peer-to-peer benchmarking, knowledge sharing, use case discussions, and searchable lessons learned across utilities.
  • Three additional webcasts and a robotics conference are planned for the year.
• Robotics Expo (October 14–15, 2026):
  • To be held at EPRI’s Lenox, MA facility.
  • Focus on live demonstrations, hands-on testing, vendor exhibits, and utility use cases for aerial, ground, and underwater robots.
• CES Technology Update:
  • Humanoid robots were a major theme, with increasing industrial deployment and autonomous capabilities.
  • Significant advancements in AI, human-robot interaction, digital twins, and NVIDIA Omniverse simulation environments for robot training and deployment planning.
• Guest Presentation – Duke Energy:
  • Duke Energy presented its successful deployment of the Blueye underwater ROV for visual inspections and ultrasonic thickness testing of water storage tanks.
  • Eliminated the need for divers, reduced inspection time, improved safety, and produced high-quality inspection data.
  • The technology is now being expanded to additional tank and underwater inspection applications across the fleet.
• Discussion Topics: Underwater robotics for inspections, AI-assisted inspection analysis, and future applications of autonomous and remotely operated systems in utility environments.

This quarterly update shared progress on deliverables, survey results, and featured a guest speaker from Dominion Energy. Key highlights include:

• Survey Results:
  • Wiki: Public overview with member-only detailed content
  • Forum: Open to all EPRI members; insights reserved for funders
  • Webcasts: Quarterly cadence confirmed
  • Expo: Preference for hybrid format with hands-on demos
• Deliverables Status:
  • Forum launch in progress
  • Website development with meeting materials and EPRI deliverables database
  • Planning for robotics conference and future webcasts
• Conference Recap: Robotics workshop with live obstacle courses and vendor demos.
• Student Project Spotlight: Magnetic drone docking system for Spot robot.
• Guest Presentation: Dominion Energy shared lessons from autonomous Spot robot deployments for radiation mapping, gauge reading, and operational inspections.
• Discussion Topics: Dose savings, AR integration for radiation surveys, and feasibility of long-distance tunnel inspections using robotics.

This meeting serves as the steering committee kickoff for the Unmanned Mobile Technologies Collaboration Group, a cross-sector initiative aimed at fostering the adoption of robotics, drones, and autonomous systems in the utility industry. Key highlights include:

• Introductions from EPRI staff and project members across nuclear, generation, and energy delivery sectors.
• Overview of the project goals, focusing on shared learning and collaboration across sectors using unmanned aerial, ground, and underwater vehicles.
• Discussion of project deliverables, including:
  • A user group with regular calls
  • A forum site for peer-to-peer exchange
  • A wiki site for curated content and operational insights
  • In-person events and expos showcasing practical applications
• Planning for quarterly webcasts featuring utility case studies, vendor demos, emerging technologies, and research updates.
• Feedback requested on access levels for the forum and wiki (open vs. restricted to project members).
• Announcement of an upcoming international robotics conference focused on nuclear applications.
• Open Q&A and discussion on shaping future content and participation.

The meeting emphasizes collaboration, transparency, and shared innovation to accelerate the use of unmanned technologies across utility operations.

This meeting introduces a new cross-sector initiative focused on unmanned mobile technologies—including drones, ground robots, and underwater vehicles—within the utility industry. Experts from nuclear, generation, and energy delivery sectors share their current research and pilot projects, showcasing how robotics are being used for inspections, radiation measurements, maintenance, and safety improvements. Key topics include:

• Overview of sector-specific robotics applications
• A new supplemental project aimed at fostering collaboration and reducing costs
• Planned deliverables: a user group, a dedicated forum, and a technology expo
• Technical presentations on drone-based thickness measurement and autonomous inspections
• Opportunities for utilities and vendors to join and contribute

The goal is to unify efforts across sectors, share lessons learned, and accelerate the adoption of unmanned technologies to improve safety, efficiency, and cost-effectiveness in utility operations.