PSO’s drone program is improving how our team inspects power lines, assesses conditions, and restores service. Drones allow teams to safely inspect circuits in hard-to-reach areas such as wooded terrain, creek crossings, and hillsides. 

“It gives us a safer and faster way to see what’s happening on the line without putting employees in challenging situations,” said Jason Lawson, PSO’s chief drone pilot.

In addition to live inspections, Lawson flies PSO’s drone-in-box over circuits to create pre-programmed flight routes that can be reused when outages occur. These mapped routes allow drones to fly autonomously along power lines and quickly capture images during an outage.

“Instead of starting from scratch, we already know the path the drone needs to take,” Lawson said. “That lets us get eyes on the line almost immediately and share that information with crews.”

The program also supports proactive maintenance by helping teams identify potential issues earlier. High-resolution imagery and thermal data can reveal concerns that aren’t always visible from the ground, such as aging equipment or overheating components. Drone findings are organized into immediate safety issues and future repair needs, helping crews plan work more effectively and reduce repeat site visits.

During storm response, the combination of pre-planned routes and drone inspections helps speed up damage assessment and restoration, especially in remote areas. As the program continues to expand, drones remain a key tool for improving safety, efficiency, and reliability for employees and customers across PSO’s system.