{"id":15741,"date":"2020-06-18T16:59:52","date_gmt":"2020-06-18T16:59:52","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/saj.pachecostudios.com?p=15741"},"modified":"2020-06-18T17:00:58","modified_gmt":"2020-06-18T17:00:58","slug":"utilities-weather-storms-with-geospatial-data-technology","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/stateaviationjournal.com\/index.php\/unmanned-systems\/utilities-weather-storms-with-geospatial-data-technology\/%20","title":{"rendered":"Utilities Weather Storms with Geospatial Data Technology"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

By: Robert Henley<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Extreme weather events are hitting more often and harder\nthan ever before. In the face of this meteorological onslaught, state agencies\nacross the country are grappling with how to protect the essential services\ntheir residents depend on. Many have passed storm hardening regulations that\ndemand utilities to strengthen the electrical grid to withstand hurricane-force\nwinds. Others are deploying new tools to quickly assess storm damage. In both\ncases, geospatial data technology, such as drones and image analytics, are\nplaying a growing role.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Strengthening the Grid Against Storms<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"\"<\/figure><\/div>\n\n\n\n

Utilities are increasing equipment loads on their structures\nat a time when storms are increasing in intensity. Combined, these issues are\noutstripping engineering specifications, risking asset failure, and downtime.\nAs utilities respond to customers\u2019 expectation of network uptime, in the face\nof worsening natural disasters, they\u2019re investing in their power grids. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

But how do they target their investments and justify these\ninvestments to regulators? And when disaster strikes, how do utilities respond\nquickly without putting more in harm\u2019s way?<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"\"<\/figure><\/div>\n\n\n\n

Traditional pole loading inspections can be time and\nlabor-intensive. Worse, such methods are prone to error. It can take dozens of\nground teams months to find that 10% of poles\u2014on average\u2014are out of compliance.\nBut one leading American utility has employed PrecisionHawk\u2019s geospatial\ntechnology to identify compliance issues at a rate of 30%, on average\u2014and in a\nmatter of weeks.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

This approach goes beyond the utility’s typical ground-based\nphotography and laser sensing inspection practices. By deploying remote sensors\non drones, utilities are accelerating, automating, and amplifying their load\nanalysis in a way that improves uptime.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

To start, utilities define their data collection\nrequirements based on the information they need to plan a storm-hardening\nproject, often dictated by the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) or\nFederal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC). With these guidelines set,\ngeospatial data analysts work with flight operators to determine the optimal\nflight paths for collecting data around a structure. Once in the field, a\nflight operator follows this path, snapping photos, videos, thermographic\nimagery, and LiDAR data of distribution and transmission lines. This data can\nthen be processed by artificial intelligence to automatically inventory\nstructural components–such as transformers, insulators, and guy wires–and\nhighlight asset health issues.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"\"<\/figure><\/div>\n\n\n\n

Utilities are realizing multiple benefits from this\napproach. First, operators can immediately identify critical issues when in the\nfield and call them in. They can also use preliminary data to refine their data\ncollection approach to better meet project objectives. Secondly, utilities\nachieve higher margins of safety, as they replace hazardous helicopter flights,\nbucket truck deployments, and tower climbs with drone flights. Ultimately,\nthey\u2019re gaining a \u201creal-world\u201d picture of their infrastructure with precision\nand detail that they\u2019ve never achieved before.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Quickly Assessing Storm Damage<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

When hurricanes flood roads, down power lines, and leave\npeople stranded without electricity or shelter, drone operators head out to the\ndisaster zones. They deploy drones as soon as the hurricane begins to dissipate\nto collect imagery and data. This feedback helps emergency responders,\nutilities, and state agencies determine where to first allocate their\nresources. It\u2019s an important, but tough gig.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"\"
Matt Tompkins<\/em><\/figcaption><\/figure><\/div>\n\n\n\n

Director of LiDAR Flight Operations at Precisionhawk, Matt\nTompkins remarked, \u201cI learned early on in my career that disaster response was\none of the key use cases for UAVs, so I genuinely hoped to get involved in the\ndisaster response efforts as a drone operator. It is by far the most rewarding\nwork.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

In response to Hurricane Florence, which wracked the\nCarolinas in the fall of 2018, Tompkins led three teams of drone operators in\ncollaboration with the North Carolina Department of Transportation (NCDOT). The\ngroup started planning as soon as the NCDOT was aware of the intensity of the\nimpending storm. Tompkins quickly mobilized: he flew in teams of experienced\ndrone operators from Indiana to join them in North Carolina, prepared\nlogistics, aircraft, and emergency supplies, and secured what lodging they\ncould. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Before Florence made landfall, PrecisionHawk\u2019s pilots\ngathered at the operations center to create flight plans. These pilots, like\nall of PrecisionHawk\u2019s pilots, had completed rigorous training, designed by\nformer Navy Top Gun pilots. They were versed in safety procedures, mission\nplanning procedures, and emergency management.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cWhen we\u2019re on the ground, our priority is to provide\nassistance with our drone imagery, not to be the ones in need of rescuing,\u201d\nTompkins stated.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Each morning began with a safety and situation brief with\nthe NCDOT\u2019s emergency operations team. They looked at the day\u2019s weather, where\nteams were positioned, and preliminary assignments. The assignments often\nchanged as new information came in and priorities shifted. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

According to Tompkins, \u201cOur teams would mobilize to their\nfirst location, and about halfway there the operations center would be rolling\nout their next assignment. Adaptability is essential. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

The drone operators went out in teams of two to the impacted\nareas and flew their aircraft along infrastructure looking for flooding,\nwashed-out dams, and damaged bridges. They:<\/p>\n\n\n\n

  • Collected video and imagery of the damage<\/li>
  • Livestreamed video back to the control center<\/li>
  • Determined where to allocate emergency\nresponders and recovery resources<\/li>
  • Identified safer routes of access for\nground-based repair missions <\/li><\/ul>\n\n\n\n

    \u201cAnywhere that transport was disrupted, we got video and\nphotos of that and sent it back to the NCDOT control center,\u201d Tompkins\ncommented.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

    \"\"<\/figure><\/div>\n\n\n\n

    As part of the Florence response effort, the NCDOT flew more\nthan 260 drone missions and captured more than 8,000 videos and images. With\nvisual context, state agencies were able to deploy emergency responders and\ndivert people away from risky areas. By assessing roads, highways, bridges,\nairports, ferry terminals, waterways and dams across the impacted region, drone\ntechnology ultimately enabled responders to better prioritize critical issues\nand make preliminary plans for recovery. \n<\/p>\n\n\n\n

    Drones are a Critical Tool, Before and After the Storm<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

    In rain or sunshine, drones have become a tool for state\nagencies, utilities, and other essential service organizations. Utilities are\ndeploying drones to gain a more accurate picture of how their electric\ninfrastructure might fair in bad weather. After a storm rolls through,\nutilities and state agencies alike are deploying drones as a means of quickly\ngaining rich situational awareness. As a result, states are strengthening their\ninfrastructure against worsening weather, ensuring constituents get the\nessential services they need.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

    <\/p>\n\n\n\n

    With more than 25 years of experience in operations, engineering, and aviation, Robert Henley is an expert in the utility industry. Prior to his start at PrecisionHawk, Henley spent seven years at Pacific Gas & Electric. At Pacific Gas & Electric, Henley led the GIS program and later managed the UAS Drone Program. Henley holds a commercial drone license and an MBA. <\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n

    As the Vice President of Energy Solutions at PrecisionHawk, Henley has a deep understanding of how data is used and collected. His primary responsibility is to develop tailored technology and service portfolios to meet the specific needs of each customer. <\/em><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

    By: Robert Henley Extreme weather events are hitting more often and harder than ever before. In the face of this meteorological onslaught, state agencies across the country are grappling with how to protect the essential services their residents depend on. Many have passed storm hardening regulations that demand utilities to strengthen the electrical grid to […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":3,"featured_media":15742,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paid_content":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[127],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-15741","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-unmanned-systems"],"jetpack_featured_media_url":"https:\/\/stateaviationjournal.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/Drones-at-work-precision-hawk-2.png","jetpack_sharing_enabled":true,"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/stateaviationjournal.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/15741","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/stateaviationjournal.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/stateaviationjournal.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/stateaviationjournal.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/3"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/stateaviationjournal.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=15741"}],"version-history":[{"count":2,"href":"https:\/\/stateaviationjournal.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/15741\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":15749,"href":"https:\/\/stateaviationjournal.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/15741\/revisions\/15749"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/stateaviationjournal.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/15742"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/stateaviationjournal.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=15741"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/stateaviationjournal.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=15741"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/stateaviationjournal.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=15741"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}