Pacific Gasoline and Electrical (PG&E) is taking a significant step ahead in drone operations by automating compliance for Past Visible Line of Sight (BVLOS) flights utilizing AirData’s fleet administration platform. This transfer permits PG&E to broaden its drone program safely and effectively, supporting crucial missions like wildfire prevention throughout its 70,000-square-mile service space in California.
Centralizing Compliance for Advanced Operations
As PG&E’s drone program has grown in dimension and complexity, the necessity for streamlined compliance has grow to be important. BVLOS operations, which permit drones to fly past the pilot’s direct line of sight, are strictly regulated by the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA). Assembly these necessities entails detailed monitoring of each facet of flight operations-from pilot and observer exercise to plane upkeep.
Kellen Kirk, PG&E’s Supervisor of UAS and Mounted Wing Operations, explains:
“Implementing AirData has centralized our flight logging, compliance reporting, and upkeep monitoring in an automatic and proactive method. This enables our pilots, technicians, and directors to concentrate on their respective missions with confidence that laws are being adopted. The utilities business is quickly innovating in drone use, and AirData is a key a part of how we keep on the forefront of those modifications.”
Automated Workflows and Fleet Integration
PG&E leverages AirData’s brand-agnostic platform to routinely sync flight logs from each Skydio and DJI drones, making certain that every one mission information is captured with out handbook entry. The platform helps direct uploads from distant controllers, flight apps, and cloud servers, making it simpler to handle a various fleet.
To deal with strict upkeep necessities, PG&E makes use of AirData’s Personalized Upkeep characteristic. This software maps service schedules to producer suggestions, serving to the corporate keep compliant with FAA waivers and inner insurance policies. The unified platform additionally hurries up coaching and improves communication throughout departments.
Jon Educate, PG&E’s Skilled Program Supervisor of UAS Particular Initiatives, highlights the influence:
“Distant BVLOS flights are a sport changer for our operations, and my precedence is to verify we innovate responsibly and safely. One of many largest challenges we face with these new forms of operations is the upkeep necessities set forth in our waivers. Because of AirData’s skill to trace upkeep, it assures that our plane stay compliant with our waivers and inner procedures.”
Future-Proofing Drone Operations
By automating compliance, PG&E isn’t solely assembly at the moment’s regulatory calls for but additionally getting ready for future modifications in drone guidelines. The case research reveals how foundational techniques like AirData’s can help each BVLOS and customary drone missions, positioning PG&E for continued development and innovation in uncrewed operations.
About AirData UAV
AirData is the world’s largest on-line drone fleet information administration and real-time flight streaming platform, serving over 370,000 customers and processing a median of 25,000 flights per day. The platform supplies superior instruments for flight security evaluation, crash prevention, upkeep, mission planning, and dwell streaming, making it a trusted resolution for giant fleet operators across the globe.
To study extra about PG&E’s BVLOS compliance automation, go to the full case research on AirData’s weblog or attend the dialogue panel with PG&E on the Power Drone & Robotics Summit on June 17, 2025
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Miriam McNabb is the Editor-in-Chief of DRONELIFE and CEO of JobForDrones, knowledgeable drone providers market, and a fascinated observer of the rising drone business and the regulatory surroundings for drones. Miriam has penned over 3,000 articles targeted on the industrial drone area and is a global speaker and acknowledged determine within the business. Miriam has a level from the College of Chicago and over 20 years of expertise in excessive tech gross sales and advertising and marketing for brand new applied sciences.
For drone business consulting or writing, Electronic mail Miriam.
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