The True Cost of Not Using Drones in Utility Inspections

Why Manual Utility Inspections Are Outdated

For decades, utilities have relied on ground crews and helicopters to inspect infrastructure like power lines, substations, and poles. But this method is:

• Slow: Field crews can only inspect 40–50 poles per day vs. drones covering thousands.
• Expensive: Labor, equipment, and truck rolls drive up costs.
• Risky: Linemen working at heights and near live infrastructure increases injury risks.

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How Drones Reduce Utility Inspection Costs

Utilities using drones for inspections see:
✅ 50% reduction in labor costs by cutting down manual field visits.
✅ 3x faster compliance reporting with AI-powered drone analytics.
✅ Improved safety—no need for dangerous pole climbing.

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🎧 Podcast Clip: Hear how Nathan Sheets is using a Drones-As-A-Service approach just like us for servicing clients nationwide
🔗 Podcast Clip: Acquiring Drone Data the Simple Way >>

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Case Study: A Utility Firm Saved $2M with Drone Inspections

A major utility provider needed to survey 20,000+ poles. Their options:
🚛 Send field crews manually—taking 6 months.
📡 Use drone-powered inspections—completing in 6 weeks.

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The result?
✅ $2M+ saved in labor and reshoots
✅ Faster compliance documentation
✅ No safety incidents

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📩 Want to modernize your inspections? Let’s talk.

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