​Description

Unmanned aircraft systems (or drones) are getting a lot of attention in the industry and media, and it can be difficult to separate the hype and excitement from the reality of regulations, applications, and equipment. This TechSurveillance article explains the technology, current and anticipated future features, and relevant Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) rules.

Value to ELectric Cooperatives

UAS technology has potential for significant benefits in cooperative operations and maintenance, to provide safer approaches to tasks currently done by cooperatives staff, and/or to augment visibility and information from current processes and procedures.  However, co-ops will need to be aware of state and local laws restricting the use of UAS.  This article is positioned to be particularly helpful for cooperatives planning utilization of UAS technology and developing an effective business case.

Audience

Operations, Engineering