AirData and PG&E Partner for Effective Drone Management and Operational Safety
PG&E employs AirData’s mission planning suite and automated flight tracking as it ramps up industry-leading UAS programs
(San Ramon, CA, Dec 5, 2023) - AirData participated in an unprecedented PG&E: Pacific Gas & Electric Company conference bringing together hundreds of professional drone pilots, community partners, and federal stakeholders. PG&E, in ensuring safe energy provision to Californians, utilizes AirData’s platform for fleet management, compliance reporting, and automated flight tracking. As a trailblazer in leveraging drone technology for utility operations, they are continuously working to solidify standard operating procedures and set new industry best practices. PG&E's partnership with AirData began in 2022 as the energy company sought more efficient ways to schedule flights, monitor pilot currency, and manage risk for highly diverse and taxing missions.
Participants at the conference included AirData, Advexure, Infravision, and Skydio, alongside representatives from the Federal Aviation Administration, the Unmanned Safety Institute, and former United States Navy F/A 18 pilots actively contributing to UAS technology advancements.
PG&E’s Vice President of System Inspections, Jason Regan, said, “PG&E operates one of the largest and most advanced drone-based equipment inspection programs in the world, helping enable us to deliver on our stand that catastrophic wildfires shall stop.” He added, ““The PG&E 2023 UAS conference is a first-of-its-kind event providing drone pilots with insights on new technologies and best practices for the safe and responsible integration and operation of drones within the energy industry.”
As a global leader in fleet management and drone data analytics, AirData provides a platform for PG&E to manage pilots, monitor equipment use, and track flights in a compliant manner. The automated upload of flight logs allows PG&E personnel to cut down on the work-hours needed to comprehensively meet regulatory requirements.
AirData’s Mission Planning module has also allowed PG&E pilots to plan flights from the field, apply for LAANC authorization, and complete pre- and post-flight checklists for the logging of flight parameters, incident reports, and procedures for operational safety. PG&E team members often operate in remote areas of California, utilizing AirData’s offline mode that allows for seamless synchronization of flights. AirData looks forward to a continued partnership with PG&E as they actively shape UAS utilization in the energy sector.