Infrastructure

The following are some use cases of drones in the infrastructure industry.

• Transmission and distribution (T&D) lines - identify vegetation encroachment and wildfire fuels buildup, leaning power poles, sagging wires, snagged metallic balloons, equipment wear, vandalism, etc.

• Oil and natural gas pipelines - leak detection and equipment corrosion

• Vertical structures, nuclear cooling towers, storage tanks, smokestacks, piers, etc.—to look for signs of wear and anomalies

• Dams and levees - to identify structural defects and needed repairs, and assure environmental compliance/avoid stop work claims during replacement work

• Bridges, underpasses, overpasses, and culverts - inspect cracks, wear, general conditions

• Roads and freeways - to assess cracking and maintenance needs of the pavement

• Municipal water systems, aqueducts, fish ladders on older dams, reservoirs - leak detection, environmental monitoring, vegetation management, equipment maintenance, and security

• Railways - to check for wear, vegetation, rocks, and security on tracks, as well as conditions of bridges, poles, and yards

• Utility-scale solar facilities, for locating sub-performing arrays and repair needs

• Onshore and offshore wind turbines - to detect cracks and other maintenance needs

• Emergency, post-weather-event, and post-disaster damage assessments