- PG&E (PCG, Financial) conducted over 250,000 drone inspections in 2024, enhancing infrastructure safety and reliability.
- All drone operations are managed by FAA-licensed pilots following strict safety protocols.
- PG&E ensures customer privacy by strictly limiting drone imagery to infrastructure inspections.
Pacific Gas and Electric Company (PCG) has highlighted the significant role of its drone fleet in maintaining a safe and reliable energy system across Northern and Central California. In 2024 alone, PG&E conducted more than 250,000 drone inspections on distribution structures and executed 42,000 missions on transmission equipment. These efforts underscore the utility’s commitment to leveraging advanced technology for early risk identification and proactive maintenance.
The drones, operated by FAA-licensed pilots, provide unparalleled precision in inspecting assets, allowing PG&E to identify and address potential risks effectively. By using drones, PG&E can explore and document critical data in previously inaccessible areas, contributing significantly to infrastructure safety.
To maintain privacy, PG&E ensures that drone operations are strictly confined to inspecting infrastructure, with no imagery of private properties or customers being captured. The company has implemented a comprehensive notification system to inform residents about drone inspections. Notifications are sent through customers' preferred communication methods, including phone, text, and email, as well as posts on Nextdoor for targeted zip codes.
PG&E's commitment to safety is further reinforced by registering all flights through its aviation dispatch center, FlightCore, to prevent conflicts with other air traffic. Each operation adheres to FAA Part 107 regulations, with additional safety protocols ensuring the drones' safe operation around PG&E's assets.
Pacific Gas and Electric Company, a subsidiary of PG&E Corporation (PCG, Financial), continues to serve over 16 million people across a vast service area, deploying innovative solutions like aerial drone inspections to enhance service reliability and safety.
