State Grid Suixian Power Supply Company Deploys Flamethrower Drone to Remove Wasp Nest

On September 7, State Grid Suixian Power Supply Company conducted a hazard mitigation operation at the 35 kV Nanquan Substation, deploying a multi-rotor drone equipped with a flamethrower attachment to incinerate a wasp nest on a lightning rod tower, efficiently eliminating safety risks to elevated equipment and ensuring stable substation operations.

State Grid Suixian Power Supply Company deploys a flamethrower drone to remove a wasp nest

A large wasp nest had been detected on the structure of the lightning rod tower at the 35 kV Nanquan Substation. The nest was located high on the metal framework, and wasp activity could cause flashovers and short circuits, posing a danger to the substation's primary equipment. Manual removal would have exposed technicians to the dual risks of falls from height and wasp stings, presenting substantial operational challenges on-site. To ensure the safe operation of electrical equipment, maintenance technicians assessed the risks and opted for drone-based flame removal to eliminate the hazard.

A flamethrower drone removes the wasp nest

During the operation, the operator precisely maneuvered the flamethrower drone—equipped with a fuel tank, fuel pump, and automatic ignition system—close to the nest, while a second observation drone flew alongside to monitor operational safety. After fine-tuning the angle and distance, the operator activated the flamethrower attachment to burn away the nest, successfully completing the clearance without requiring personnel to climb the tower and fully eliminating the equipment hazard. The entire process took only about 20 minutes from takeoff to complete clearance.

Moving forward, State Grid Suixian Power Supply Company will intensify inspections for bird- and wasp-related hazards across substations and transmission towers. By using non-contact methods such as drone-based flame removal and pest control, the company will address hazards at heights that personnel cannot easily reach, reduce work at height, improve the efficiency and effectiveness of hazard mitigation, and strengthen the protection of power grid equipment.

(Photos and text by Zhang Wanli)