GeoDigital, FLoT Systems and Environmental Consultants Inc. (ECI) have formed a partnership to bring utilities remote asset inspection capabilities via unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs).
The program combines high-resolution imagery collected by FLoT Systems' beyond line-of-sight-capable UAV, analytics and location-based work management software from GeoDigital, and virtual inspection of those images with utility vegetation and asset management expertise from ECI.
For the first time, according to the companies, utilities will be able to assess critical infrastructure on both electric distribution and transmission facilities, as well as on pipelines by using UAVs, to pinpoint possible risks to their infrastructure. In doing so, utilities can improve service reliability, increase employee and public safety, and best ensure regulatory compliance.
‘By combining UAV collection and utility inspection expertise with GeoDigital's virtual asset inspection software, utilities can now enhance their inspection programs by deriving actionable insights from big geospatial data,’ says Chris Warrington, president and CEO at GeoDigital. ‘Virtual inspections use geospatial data, which can now be collected more frequently and safely, so utilities can prioritize remote asset maintenance and repairs using up-to-date data. This geospatially precise work planning increases reliability and enables safer, more efficient field crew deployments.”
