UTILITIES' DRONE PLANS CLEARED FOR TAKEOFF

Electric utilities across the U. S. are wasting no time taking advantage of new FAA rules authorizing use of drones for commercial purposes. More than 20 utilities have already tested unmanned aerial vehicles for inspecting transmission and distribution lines for damage from storm and normal wear and tear, using temporary rules from the Federal Aviation Administration, and are now ready to demonstrate them even more. Among the early practitioners are Duke Energy, Exelon, National Grid, Southern Company, Pacific Gas & Electric and Xcel Energy. The new rules allow companies in the electric power and other sectors to fly drones weighing no more than 55 pounds below 400 feet without obtaining a waiver from the FAA.