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AI agents and drone inspections: Transform asset management in energy and utilities

Bragadesh Damodaran & Amit Kumar Gupta
14 Apr 2025

The energy and utilities sector is indeed undergoing a significant digital transformation, driven by the rapid adoption of emerging technologies.

Generative AI (Gen AI) is set to play a pivotal role in this shift, enhancing innovation, operational efficiency, and uncovering new opportunities, thereby advancing the transition towards a more digital and sustainable global economy.

The growth of drone technology in the energy and utilities sector is expected to remain strong, particularly for asset inspection and management. Integrating drone-based inspections with SAP Asset Management, edge AI models, and AI agents can profoundly impact field operations, sparking business transformation across industries. This combination of technologies will enable the automation of workflows, predictive maintenance, and the generation of actionable insights, transforming asset management, risk mitigation, and operational efficiency.

Drones equipped with high-resolution cameras and 3D laser technologies are becoming essential tools for industries, offering the ability to capture real-time, detailed asset information. This capability helps reduce time, costs, and human errors. However, the true value of drone inspections lies in analyzing the vast amounts of data generated. Integrating drone technology with AI agents in the SAP Business Technology Platform (BTP) stack enables in-depth data analysis and decision-making capabilities, providing actionable insights. This combination creates a seamless and intelligent ecosystem for managing inspections, optimizing workflows, and driving improved business outcomes.

To further illustrate the transformative impact of Gen AI and AI agents, the  CRI report Unleashing the value of customer service highlights how customer service, augmented by Gen AI, can transcend its traditional role and evolve into a driver of commercial opportunities.

Unleashing the power of Gen AI in drone-based inspection

  • Automated report generation: Agents can process drone data to generate detailed inspection reports, reducing manual workload and speeding up decision-making.
  • Real-time data interpretation: Agents can analyze live drone feeds to identify anomalies and generate actionable insights, enhancing decision-making.
  • Predictive maintenance: By analyzing historical data from previous field inspections and maintenance records, AI can predict potential future issues or failures, enabling proactive maintenance and reducing downtime.
  • Natural language query: Field engineers can interact with inspection data using natural language, simplifying access to information.
  • Knowledge extraction: Agents analyze unstructured text data from inspection logs to identify patterns and inform decision-makers about recurring issues.
  • Automated fault categorization: Agents can categorize and prioritize inspection findings by severity and urgency, improving workflow efficiency.
  • Training and knowledge sharing: Agents will be able to assist in training new employees by providing detailed explanations and answering questions about inspection issues.
  • Natural language summary: AI summarizes drone-collected data into easy-to-understand insights for non-experts, aiding informed decision-making.

Will integrating Gen AI into SAP Business Technology Platform (BTP) bring value to the field operations and management?

Integrating Gen AI into the enterprise systems can significantly expedite inspections and enhance workforce efficiency by automating and streamlining complex processes. By leveraging the power of AI, data from drones and maintenance logs can be analyzed in real time, enabling faster identification of anomalies, defects, or potential risks in energy and utilities assets. With Gen AI Hub integrated into SAP BTP stack, the system can process vast amounts of unstructured data and provide actionable insights, helping field workers make informed decisions quickly. AI-driven models can automatically generate inspection reports, flag critical issues, and recommend maintenance actions, reducing the time spent on manual documentation and improving the speed at which problems are addressed. Furthermore, AI capabilities can predict asset failures and maintenance needs by analyzing historical data and real-time conditions, allowing organizations to perform proactive maintenance and avoid costly repairs or downtime. This predictive ability ensures that the workforce is always prepared with the right information, enabling more efficient task assignments and better resource allocation.

Additionally, agents can assist field workers by offering real-time support, troubleshooting suggestions, and guidance during inspections, reducing their dependency on experts and ensuring tasks are completed more effectively. The integration of Gen AI within SAP BTP stack allows for seamless scalability across multiple sites, assets, and workflows, ensuring that the technology grows with the organization’s needs. By automating routine tasks such as work order creation, inspection reporting, and issue prioritization, AI agents empower the workforce to focus on higher-value activities, improving operational performance and overall productivity. Ultimately, integrating agents into SAP BTP stack can lead to faster, more efficient inspections, optimized workforce performance, and more reliable asset management, driving operational excellence and sustainable growth.

ÎÚÑ»´«Ã½ and industry AI in the energy and utilities sector

Gen AI is transforming field operations and engagement for energy and utilities assets by boosting efficiency, accuracy, and sustainability. By automating tasks like inspections and predictive maintenance, Gen AI helps energy and utility companies enhance the lifespan of their assets, minimize waste, and reduce their environmental footprint. These advancements foster long-term sustainable growth within the energy and utilities sectors, making operations more environmentally friendly, while also lowering costs and optimizing overall performance. AI-driven solutions not only streamline workflows but also ensure that maintenance is more proactive, preventing costly repairs and maximizing asset utilization. Ultimately, these innovations contribute to a more efficient and sustainable future for energy and utilities operations.

Final thoughts

With Gen AI for asset management, we help utilities unlock AI’s transformative power by building tuned models and navigating complexities. Our digital labs foster collaboration and innovation, guiding clients through challenges like cost, scale, and trust. This approach ensures seamless transition from pilot to deployment, delivering innovative, transformational journeys faster and at scale.

Author

Bragadesh Damodaran

Vice President| Energy Transition & Utilities Industry Platform Leader, ÎÚÑ»´«Ã½
He is responsible for driving Clients CXO Proximity through Industry Infused Innovation and Partnerships, Thought leadership, building Industry-centric Assets and Solutions with Intelligent Industry focus aligning to Energy Transition, Smart Grid, New Energies, Water, Nuclear and Customer Transformations. Bragadesh is a seasoned ET&U Industry and Strategy Consultant in a career spanning over 24 years. Worked for major multinationals driving E&U Value chain strategies and CXO Advisory.

Amit Kumar Gupta

Program Manager, Energy Transition & Utilities- Gen AI for ET&U
Amit brings over 18 years of expertise in the energy transition and utilities sector. As the Gen AI Lead in the ET&U industry platform, he specializes in asset development and industry intelligence, driving forward-thinking strategies and sustainable practices. He has spearheaded numerous innovative projects, developing industry-centric assets and solutions with a focus on intelligent industry practices. His extensive knowledge covers energy transition, smart grid, new energies, water, and oil & gas sectors while successfully collaborating with clients across various geographies, delivering impactful on-site solutions.