Optimization Method for Electric Field Shielding Device of Unmanned Aerial Vehicles in Substations Based on the Finite Element Simulation and Experimental Design Method

In order to solve the problem of electric field interference and gap discharge in substation UAV inspection, the optimization design method of an electric field shielding device based on finite element simulation is proposed. First, the finite element software is used to construct the electric field model of the substation busbar to obtain the electric field distribution around the busbar; then the UAV model is established to analyze the electric field around it in order to determine the overall structure of the shielding device, and to clarify the main parameters affecting the distribution of the electric field. Through the combination of experimental design and numerical calculation of electric field, the results of electric field calculation under different parameters are obtained, and the sensitivity analysis is applied to evaluate the influence degree of each parameter. Taking the minimization of the electric field around the UAV as the goal, the response surface model of the parameters of the shielding device and the electric field is established, and the best parameters are obtained with the help of the optimization algorithm. The results show that the method can significantly reduce the interference of the busbar electric field on the UAV and improve the inspection reliability. © 2026 Institute of Electrical Engineers of Japan. Published by Wiley Periodicals LLC.