In the future, the railway company plans to use long-distance drones to monitor its rail networks. Drones are already being used on shorter sections of track.
Deutsche Bahn plans to monitor its rail network with long-distance drones in the future. The use of these drones 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 are to be used throughout Germany.
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 of around 150 kilometers and can also be used during ongoing rail operations. Closures are not necessary.
More cost-effective and more flexible than helicopters
The advanced technology also saves on-site staff deployments: “We can use it during normal train operations, even in wind and weather, even at night,” explained Daniela Gerd tom Markotten, DB board member responsible for digitalization and technology. “It’s also great for the employees, because they no longer have to go out in wind and weather, but can get the information they need on their tablet with the help of AI.”
Compared to helicopters, long-distance drones are more flexible, can be used at short notice and are also more cost-effective, according to Deutsche Bahn. For example, those responsible for the route can 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.