At FirstEnergy, our pilots are flying more than airplanes and helicopters—a team of licensed operators is now using drones to perform a variety of inspections and other maintenance work throughout our six-state territory.
From inspecting the nests of protected birds of prey to assessing damage following severe weather, the company’s drone team is finding new, non-invasive ways to improve work practices and mitigate climbing exposure using the technology. The team pilots hundreds of missions each year, including:
- Evaluating substations as part of a program to prioritize and replace wooden poles
- Inspecting osprey nests that are situated on utility poles and power equipment
- Examining equipment damage and construction progress after a gas explosion destroyed several transmission towers in western Pennsylvania
- Identifying more than 200 necessary repairs following the March 2018 nor’easter storms