Drones, also known as unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs), are small flying machines with cameras and sensors. They fly along power lines and take high-quality pictures and videos of equipment like wires, poles, and transformers. Some drones can even "see" heat, helping detect problems like overheating or damaged parts before they cause an outage.
CVEC uses drones to perform system inspections for several reasons:
- Faster Problem Detection: Drones can quickly spot issues that might lead to power outages, helping crews fix problems before they affect your service.
- Safer for Workers: Instead of climbing poles or using helicopters to inspect components at the tops of poles, workers can operate drones from the ground.
- Lower Costs: Drones help utility companies work more efficiently, which helps keep costs down over time.
- Better Reliability: Regular drone inspections make it easier to maintain our electric system and prevent outages.
You Might See Drones in Your Area
From time to time, you might see a drone flying near power lines in your neighborhood. Don’t worry—these drones are being operated by trained professionals to help maintain and protect the electric system that powers your home, school, and workplace.
Our in-house pilots, as well as our trusted drone contractor, Altitude Imaging, will be performing aerial inspections across our service territory beginning on Monday, April 21. Altitude Imaging will have two primary drone pilots flying on the CVEC system. Damien will be driving a silver Toyota Tacoma and Curtis will be driving a dark grey Toyota Tundra. Both vehicles will have amber lights, as well as signage identifying them as authorized CVEC contractors. Our in-house pilots will be driving red CVEC trucks, as well as utilizing side by side offroad vehicles.
Drone inspections will begin in Pamplin and Appomattox before moving to Cartersville, Centenary, Cunningham, Schuyler, and Tower Hill.
Our in-house and contractor drone pilots only capture images related to our infrastructure and rights-of-way. They are happy to speak with CVEC members and answer questions. However, we ask that you allow the pilots to fly safely and land the drone before engaging with them.
We want to extend a sincere thank you to all our members for your continued support and understanding as we conduct these vital drone inspections across our service area and work to maintain a safe, reliable electric system.
