Chinese research institute unveils aerial balloon platform to bolster energy development

A tethered balloon, developed by the Aerospace Information Research Institute (AIR) under the Chinese Academy of Sciences (CAS), was successfully deployed on Wednesday to assist in the construction of ultra-high voltage (UHV) transmission lines in Tai'an city, East China's Shandong Province. This marks China's first use of an aerial platform for energy projects, the CMG reported.

Aerial platforms are lighter-than-air aircraft that stay aloft using atmospheric buoyancy. They come in three main types: tethered balloons, high-altitude balloons, and airships, the report explained.

The KX15 model, developed by the institute's Qilu Center, was deployed at an acceptance and defect elimination site for a UHV converter station undergoing final acceptance checks and defect elimination for a 500-kilovolt transmission line.

As Shandong's largest power line investment, the project is now in its final acceptance phase. However, it faces challenges such as extensive operational areas, multiple risk factors, a large workforce, and difficulties in monitoring both on-tower and ground operations

Previously, safety management relied on telescopic observation and drone patrols. However, these methods were limited by range, viewing angles, and flight duration, making comprehensive oversight challenging.

The KX15 tethered balloon overcomes these challenges by offering high-precision monitoring, wide-area coverage, and extended flight endurance. This facilitates the establishment of a comprehensive, multi-tiered control system, enabling enhanced oversight of large and complex work sites, thereby ensuring safer and more efficient management of power line operations, the report said.

The KX15 tethered balloon, with a volume of 159 cubic meters and a maximum payload of 75 kilograms, offers several key advantages for power infrastructure projects. It provides high monitoring precision, equipped with advanced cameras that enable full-range rotation, visible-to-infrared switching, and zoom functions. 

At a height of 150 meters, it can monitor personnel within a 5 kilometer radius and track over 10 operation points simultaneously. With a maximum altitude of 300 meters, the balloon covers a vast area, addressing challenges like multi-point construction and complex environments. 

Powered via its tether, the KX15 can operate continuously for over seven days, making it ideal for extended power infrastructure projects.

Beyond energy infrastructure, tethered balloons offer broad applications. With a maximum payload capacity of 1,800 kilograms and an altitude capability of up to 5,000 meters, they provide extensive coverage, with a radius of up to 252 kilometers.

These features make tethered balloons valuable for low-altitude defense, earth observation, meteorology, hydrology, and disaster early warning. They provide reliable, long-term surveillance and data collection in challenging environments, the report added.

Tethered balloons offer significant advantages not only for land-based applications but also in combination with various other devices. 

In November 2024, the institute in collaboration with several domestic companies, introduced a novel maritime traffic sensing system. The system integrates shore-based radar, a multi-sensor monitoring platform, and a tethered balloon monitoring platform, enabling multi-dimensional monitoring of key maritime areas, as seen on a post of the institute's WeChat account.

The system provides a solution for ship-to-shore communication, combining wide and narrowband capabilities through tethered balloon relays, integrating wide and narrowband capabilities. This eliminates reliance on satellites or shore-based networks, offering a flexible and efficient solution for maritime emergency communications, according to the post.