by Mary Elizabeth Lonergan

With a low hum, a spider-like robot hovers overhead. Just 15 years ago, its presence over a bridge or public roadway might have drawn attention or caused anxiety. Today, though, it’s just a drone doing its job — evaluating the safety of the concrete underfoot. 

Commercial drone use has risen sharply since 2016, when the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) created new exemptions allowing for increased drone operation in the U.S. 

Government officials quickly realized the potential for drones to assist in key infrastructure projects. Beginning in 2017, a federal program allowed 10 state, local and tribal governments to conduct advanced work with drones. (The FAA and professional operators often refer to drones as Unmanned Aircraft Systems, or UAS.) In 2020 a new program called BEYOND launched to continue working with eight of the original 10 participants.

The Choctaw Nation of Oklahoma is participating in the program. The Nation had looked for ways to get involved in aviation projects as early as 2016, and it was selected as the only tribal nation to participate in the BEYOND program in 2020, said James Grimsley, who serves as executive director of Advanced Technology Initiatives with the Choctaw Nation of Oklahoma and also serves as a Kansas transportation commissioner.

“Technology can be an equalizer for rural and historically underdeveloped areas,” Grimsley said, referring to drones and emerging aviation technology. “It allows us to leapfrog on infrastructure problems.” 

Pointing to the 11,000 square miles comprising the Choctaw Nation, Grimsley said using drones for roadway inspections and traffic reductions can lead to better outcomes for communities. 

“As we begin to equalize drone routine delivery, we can reduce traffic on roads. We see a plethora of benefits in health, safety and a slow-down on deterioration [of roads],” he said. 

Grimsley said the Choctaw Nation is also using drones for agricultural purposes, like easily locating lost cattle or examining crops. 

Kansas is seeing similar results. Bob Brock, director of aviation for the Kansas Department of Transportation, said drones have had positive impacts for agriculture and aviation, the top two industries in the state. Drone usage has also improved safety. Through the BEYOND project, Kansas has been able to provide tower and bridge inspections without putting staff at risk or impeding traffic. 

“In order to inspect a (light) tower in a high-wind environment like Kansas, it has to achieve a balance of cost and safety and it is possible for a 60-foot tower to be damaged by the wind, structurally, to the point it needs to be taken down,” he said. Brock said a ladder will not work, but a drone allows his team to inspect the tower properly and determine any next steps.

“That saves us about $15,000 for every tower that otherwise would have to be taken down…That’s a major economic benefit,” he said. 

North Carolina, another state participating in the BEYOND program, created the first state system to issue permits for government and commercial drone operators in 2016 and has hosted multiple workshops to educate government and commercial users on how drones can improve efficiency and safety and reduce costs.

North Carolina Department of Transportation Aviation Director Bobby Walston said that in 2017, the UAS program was able to publish results from a North Carolina case study involving the North Carolina Highway Patrol Collision Reconstruction Unit. 

“The study showed drones drastically reduce the time and cost it takes to reconstruct collisions, compared to traditional ground-level methods, decreasing impacts to motorists and improving safety for North Carolina Department of Transportation personnel. The study propelled drone use by the State Highway Patrol for this purpose, which continues today,” he said. 

North Carolina’s use of drones has been instrumental in fighting the COVID-19 pandemic, as well. 

Walston said through the BEYOND program, his team was able to partner with North Carolina hospitals and UPS Flight Forward in August 2021 to launch “the first COVID-19 vaccine drone delivery program in the country.”

North Dakota is another state seeing successful outcomes from implementing drones in infrastructure inspections. The state’s UAS network, Vantis, is helping turn North Dakota into the “nation’s epicenter for UAS innovation,” said Nicole Ingalls-Caley, marketing manager for Vantis. Vantis has completed an initial development and testing phase for three drones and operators and expects to add another six in 2022.

North Dakota Chief Technology Officer Duane Schell offered insight into the parameters of the drone program. 

“Today, you are not allowed to fly a drone beyond the visual line of sight of the pilot without a permit and waiver process with the FAA,” he said. “At the heart of this project is, “How do we fly safely, how do we keep the national airspace safe in a world where the number of aerial assets is going to be exponentially greater than they’ve ever been?”

Schell said much of his time is devoted to building the network of technologies to create “command and control” and “detect and avoid.” Command and control refers to control of the drone when you cannot see it. Detect and avoid refers to the capability to detect other aerial assets in the flight path and avoid them. 

Businesses across the country are turning to drones to make operations easier. Xcel Energy, based in Minneapolis Minnesota, became one of the first energy companies authorized by the FAA to operate drones beyond the visual line of site. As one of the largest electric suppliers in the Midwest, Xcel Energy relies on accuracy of drones to better provide for customers. 

“The use of drones is helping increase the level of safety of our inspection operations. They also minimize the impact to the customer/environment and capture more consistent/higher quality data,” Lindstrom said. 

Drone and aerial companies are beginning to see more of their services utilized. 

“We are beginning to see the environment shift from the early adopter stage to drones being more recognized for the value they provide in keeping workers safe, collecting data in a methodical manner and the efficiency they can bring to operations,” said Rae Siebels, the director of sales and marketing for Vision Aerial, a drone manufacturer. 

Despite differences in programs, state statutes are being changed quickly to better accommodate the use of drones, and officials expect that drones will continue to advance in technology and improve outcomes for the states. 

“The amount of energy and positivity in all of this is over the top,” Schell said. “There’s been a lot of trial and error, a lot of experimentation. Energy and agriculture are our biggest industries. The work they are doing is truly changing the world.”

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