DRB S.r.l.

DRB S.r.l. is a startup that spun off from Politecnico di Milano. Its product is the Drone Radio Beacon, a ground station that guides drones with high accuracy. The company's aim is autonomous drone services for inspection and other work.

The ground station can drive a compliant drone along a set flight path. The site says accuracy is in the tens of centimeters. The system does not need GPS or video processing to operate, so it can also serve as a backup safety device in critical missions.

The company provides autonomous drone inspection of electrical transmission and distribution lines. It also covers wind, hydro and solar energy sites, industrial plants, offshore oil platforms, bridges, dams and viaducts. The site says inspections can happen without scheduling staff or planning external crews.

Onboard AI detects features such as wind turbine hub height and insulator height. The mission is then updated on the fly. A web platform analyzes the drone images and produces an inspection report with priority levels and recommended repairs.

The site lists other tools for the system. These include a battery recharging landing station, a robotic arm for instruments, and sensors for visual, infrared and ultraviolet inspection. It also lists logistics uses such as package landing and indoor stock checks.

The project started in mid 2015 under Giuseppe. The site has a team page and a contact page. A LinkedIn profile is listed for the team lead. The site's home page includes video examples of wind turbine and high voltage insulator inspections.