Southern California Edison (SCE) has teamed with SkySkopes, Inc. to conduct aerial inspections of SCE’s powerlines throughout the Southland, including the mountaintop communities in the San Bernardino National Forest.

Though the giant utility also employs ground crews and helicopters to inspect its power poles and transmission lines, SCE’s Head of Strategic Business Partner Group Alyssa Grigoryan told The Alpine Mountaineer on May 14 that SkySkope’s drones are mainly used in densely populated areas, while SCE’s helicopters – which are very loud – are preferred in less populated areas of the forest.

“It can be pretty scary when you look out your window and see a drone outside, but we’re not looking at you,” said Grigoryan. “We’re using drones and copters to capture images of our transmission and distribution assets in high fire danger areas to mitigate wildfires.”

SkySkope pilot Mario Curley was encountered at the VOE post office substation on May 14 awaiting instructions for locating his next drone flight. “We will be inspecting transmission lines looking for a break. If the engineers see a line that is broken and needs attention, they will send out a crew to address the issue,” Curley said.

Grigoryan said drones are typically flying about five days a week. “It depends on the weather; if it’s foggy or raining, we will go elsewhere.”

When asked what the drone operators are looking for, she responded, “We are looking downward from the top, instead of below. Woodpecker damage can be seen better from above.” Asked what distance a drone can cover during an inspection flight, Grigoryan said they usually inspect from one structure (power pole) to another.

“Some structures have only minimal damage, while others may have substantial damage and need a crossarm replaced, in which case a ground crew can be sent within one day” she said, adding, “We are here to prevent wildfires. If you have any questions, please call us.”