Drone (remotely piloted aircraft) inspection trial

Published: Tuesday, 9 July 2019 at 2:28:39 PM

The Geraldton and Northam regions have been chosen for the trial because they are subject to a high rate of faults due to weather conditions. The trial is expected to run from mid-July to December 2019.

The trial aims to use drones to reduce costs, improve response times and lower the risk to our team who are tasked with locating and addressing faults in the network.

Use of this new technology will be dictated by when and where faults occur. Each flight will be logged and flown in compliance with the requirements set by the Civil Aviation Safety Authority and our intention is to operate only in rural areas.

It’s important to note the drones will be used for inspection only, meaning any vision captured will only be used to assist with resolving the issue. Privacy will be respected.

If a drone is scheduled to fly over private property, Western Power will contact the owners by telephone beforehand as per their standard land access process.

More information (including frequently asked questions) can be found on their website: https://westernpower.com.au/community/work-in-your-area/drone-remotely-piloted-aircraft-inspection-trial/

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