From Autonomous Robot to Comprehensive Critical Infrastructure Inspection System

GMV participated in the Spanish Urban Water Association (DAQUAS) webinar Beyond the Human Eye. Groundbreaking Applications of Drones and Robots, a meeting that brought together representatives from Canal de Isabel II, Drone Prix S.L., and GMV to analyze the growing role of these technologies in complex operating environments.

The session addressed how drones and robots are evolving from data capture tools to solutions capable of generating information useful for decision making, increasing safety and efficiency in complex environments.

On behalf of GMV, Rafael Uceda, head of Autonomous Robotics Projects, presented the company's experience in the development of autonomous inspection solutions applied to electrical substations, on the basis of a real case developed for Red Eléctrica and Elewit using the  uPathWay solution. His talk addressed the challenge of transforming inspection into a systematic, safe, and exploitable process in an industrial environment characterized by its complexity, variability, and operational criticality.

The solution presented is based on the integration of various technologies – quadruped robotics, machine vision, artificial intelligence, and operating systems – to build a completely autonomous inspection capability. With this approach, the robot ceases to be an isolated element and becomes part of a comprehensive system capable of executing missions conditioned by the operating context and geared toward generating useful information for operators.

One of GMV's distinguishing features is its end-to-end integration (E2E) capacity, enabling the technology to be brought into the real operational environment. This integration culminates in the orchestration of missions within the inspection flow, the incorporation of artificial vision capabilities geared toward specific tasks, and the contextualization of data through integration with systems such as weather stations and industrial protocols, enriching, for instance, thermographic analysis with real-time data.

The talk also underscored the role of applied artificial intelligence a set of specific capabilities geared toward operational needs, such as equipment status verification, automatic reading of indicators, and anomaly detection directly integrated into the autonomous inspection flow.

The result is a significant improvement in terms of efficiency and safety: higher inspection frequency, increased measurement repeatability, reduced exposure of personnel to hazardous environments, and better interpretation of data thanks to contextualization. All of this is supported by interfaces designed to ease operation and end-user adoption.

In this context, GMV stressed that the real value lies not only in the technology but also in its ability to be integrated into real processes and cause operational impact. To conclude, Rafael Uceda focused on the need to combine robotics, artificial intelligence, and operational context to evolve from isolated technological solutions to intelligent, robust, and fully operation-oriented inspection systems.