Drax Power Station has brought in Sparky, a robotic dog, to bolster safety measures.

Sparky’s role involves inspecting machinery and collecting data, equipped with cameras for visual and thermal assessments.

The technology aims to reduce risks for human operators during inspections.

Embedded within Drax’s Condition Based Maintenance team, Sparky will gradually learn specific routes to operate autonomously, enhancing operational efficiency.

Richard Barber, Maintenance Systems Lead Engineer at Drax, described Sparky as a game-changer in equipment data collection and safety assurance.

Mr Barber said: “The technology enables our team to collect better information about our equipment, while also keeping our colleagues out of harm’s way.

“Its optical panoramic camera allows us to zoom in-depth on equipment and it is fitted with a thermal infrared camera, which means we can see any hot spot or unusual thermal anomalies on the machinery.

“We want to prevent faults from happening, not simply repair them when they occur. With Sparky on patrol at the power station, we will be able to do just that.”