Real impact. Real results.

Our new 'Drone as First Responder' program is smart 21st-century policing. The drones respond to scenes quickly and give officers and first responders on the ground valuable information about the situation. Every day, we’re evaluating and embracing technology that makes New Yorkers safer.

After Hurricane #Helene made landfall, I saw an opportunity to flex the Skydio X10's night flying capabilities in full force, assessing damage to power lines throughout Ohio, West Virginia, and Virginia at NIGHT. The new #NightSense technology surpassed all expectations!

Excited to share a major milestone at Southern California Edison (SCE)! We’ve implemented Small Unmanned Aerial Systems (sUAS) to enhance our visual inspections of power substations. Pioneering advancements like this ensure we deliver reliable energy while staying ahead in utility innovation. Big thanks to our AirOps and Perdictive Maintenance Assessment (PMA) team. Check out the video to see it in action!

Garland Water Utilities took our new Skydio drone out this week for a test drive to inspect a water tower. The team is pretty excited for all of the possibilities we have in mind for inspecting assets. The resolution is amazing and thermal imaging will be a great assistant. #UAS #innovation #criticalinfrastructure

...Enter the Skydio X10D with its 3D Scan feature. To say I was impressed would be an understatement. The drone navigated just above the waterline, in windy conditions no less, capturing intricate infrastructure details beneath the deck—all while mapping from zenith (straight up). It’s a perspective I couldn’t achieve with other drones.

I’m a firm believer that technology is becoming the bridge to safer operations at emergency scenes. I created this video to show the importance of high resolution #Thermal Imaging on a drone. Especially for #HazMat incidents. In the video you will see side by side views from the Skydio X10 of an above ground fuel container where the floating roof failed and sank into 4 Million gallons of gasoline during Hurricane Milton. The gasoline, exposed to the sun and air, began to vaporize. Looking at the side by side videos (both shot at the same time) the visible light camera is unable to see the vapors being produced however the thermal imaging camera on the drone can. The temperature differences between the vapor and the air is very minimal however the radiometric thermal camera on the drone can see even the slightest changes in temperature. This info is extremely valuable to the decision makers as we are able to see the height of the vapors and direction of travel all from a safety of our command post.

Really Impressed with the recent updates from Skydio on Remote Flight Deck. We tested tonight in District 7 (Los Angeles) on SR-91, with the UAS operator (me) in Northern California.

This week the Oklahoma National Guard, with our partners, conducted a UAS exercise integrating multiple agencies drones into a single domestic emergency response / incident command. Interagency response, critical infrastructure protection and even maneuver warfighting capability in a drone ubiquitous era will demand dynamic airspace management architecture. We know this capability directly aligns with OKGuards dual missions of warfighting readiness and support to the Homeland. The exercise brought together the OKGuard, state and local agencies, and public-private UAS companies to establish a distributive common operating picture, allocate airspace to responding agencies, adapt to dynamic tasking and seek solutions to detect and avoid non-compliant drones in the response airspace, all while seeking to ensure public safety. This exercise and future iterations will mature the OKGuard’s role in responding to natural disasters across Oklahoma and prepare our junior leaders for the strategic environment to come.

🌟 The Power of Teamwork and Collaboration🌟 Skydio CEO Adam Bry was spot on when he said, “the people make the difference.” This event was a testament to that truth.

Meeting and connecting with so many amazing individuals from various utilities was truly inspiring. I had the pleasure of spending quality time with my buddy Peter from New York Power Authority and also had enriching conversations with representatives from Pacific Gas and Electric Company, Florida Power & Light, Duke Energy Corporation, Dominion Energy, Southern Company and many more. One of the key takeaways as usual is that we, as utilities, don’t have to compete. Collaboration and information sharing are essential for our collective success. By working together, we can achieve so much more and drive innovation in our industry. It wasn’t just about the utilities, though. I also had the chance to engage with first responders, videographers, and content creators who are making a real impact in their fields. Each interaction was a reminder of the incredible community we have and the power of collaboration. If anyone is interested in learning more about Southern California Edison (SCE) drone programs and governance, please feel free to reach out. I’m always happy to share insights and continue these valuable conversations. Thank you to everyone who made this event unforgettable. Looking forward to continuing these conversations and collaborations in the future!

Drones and other robotic devices have become increasingly important support elements to the success of Dominion Energy’s business operations. This week our team, along with our Electric Transmission business segment, and our partner, Skydio, received a Chair’s Excellence Award nomination for innovation for the deployment of Skydio’s entirely U.S. engineered, manufactured, and technology-equipped drone-in-a-box solution. This solution enables remote operation and maximizes our use of our company’s novel beyond line-of-sight authorization from the Federal Aviation Administration. Congratulations Thomas Butler and Matthew Rogers and the team of pilots who are making visions of the future a reality! Matthew GardnerThomas Chadwick#leadership#criticalinfrastructure

Your NYPD is leveraging drone technology to assist in the apprehension of subway surfers. This innovative technology has given your officers a vital edge and every apprehension is possibly another life saved.

Lee County EMS Chief Boyd took drone footage in Boca Grande to get eyes on the area. Lee County’s Department of Transportation (DOT) has already begun working on the island to clear roads of debris, sand and other hazards to ensure safety and accessibility for residents returning to the area post-Milton. We’re grateful for the community who heeded evacuation orders and has given our crews space to assess damage and begin recovery efforts.

Saving Lives From The Sky #Shoutout to our Aviation Section for receiving the Lifesaving Achievement Award from U.S. drone manufacturer Skydio. In March, OCSO units responded to a person in crisis on the 18th floor of a hotel. Remote Pilot Mario Rivera was able to position his drone outside the window of the hotel room, transmitting a live video that provided our SWAT Team, Watch Commanders and deputies on scene with the real-time intelligence they needed to save the person’s life. Amazing work and an honor well-deserved!

During Hurricane Milton, the Emergency Response Drone Team of ERC3 was prepared and capable of promptly assessing damage. Their efforts were crucial in providing the Emergency Operations Center (EOC) with extensive data to coordinate push crews and other emergency services efficiently. #EmergencyResponse #DroneTechnology #HurricaneMilton

On blue sky days, drones fly regularly to collect performance data from our equipment and conduct routine inspections. Following a storm, drones play a more urgent role.

“I just inspected about 10 poles in the matter of two minutes,” said Joshua Ward, a Duke Energy unmanned aircraft system pilot. “[Linemen] have to stop at each pole and climb up on a lift, just to look at the top of the pole.”
Time saved during the assessment phase can cut restoration times for customers experiencing extended outages. As part of our Florida restoration efforts following Hurricane #Milton, Ward has been on the ground – with drone in air – gathering critical information to help crews perform their jobs faster and safer. In recent weeks, drones were deployed into the mountainous terrain of western North Carolina – made nearly inaccessible by #Helene’s destruction – to inspect damaged equipment, helping crews manage difficult conditions.