Originally launched for military and special operation applications, unmanned aerial vehicles (UAV) today are being explored in a number of fields. Also popularly known as drones, UAVs are a special type of aircraft that fly without a human pilot.
Jackson, MI-based CMS Energy Corp.’s CMS chief unit – Consumers Energy – has added its name to the list of utility providers receiving Federal Aviation Administration’s (”FAA”) sanction for the use of UAVs for various monitoring and quality control objectives.
On Monday, Consumers Energy launched a UAV near a Jackson County electric substation to examine its role in improving the energy services for Michigan residents. The utility has received approval from the FAA to assess the role of UAVs in Jackson, Mason and Tuscola counties, making it the fourth energy company in the U.S. and the first in Michigan with this privilege.
CMS Energy is evaluating the performance of UAVs to inspect wind turbines and above-ground utility equipment such as poles and transformers. This technology could be more effective in restoring power outages speedily and reducing the cost and carbon emission associated with assessment work and power line inspections by helicopters.
As a part of its focus on strengthening circuits and substations, replacing aging poles and installing smart meters, CMS Energy plans to invest around $9.88 billion in its electricity operations between 2015 and 2024, including roughly $2.69 billion for electricity reliability and distribution activities.
Sempra Energy’s SRE San Diego Gas & Electric Co., Southern Company SO and Exelon Corporation’s EXC Commonwealth Edison Company are the other utilities to have secured FAA’s approval for using drones to inspect remote infrastructure.
After the worst ever blackout in 2003 in North American history, the companies in the region were compelled to spend a lump sum amount to use helicopters over their power lines to meet new grid reliability standards.
With the challenge for energy companies to maintain and inspect their critical assets in a cost-effective way, the use of drones will increasingly come into play given its numerous benefits. However, the widespread commercial use of UAVs still depends upon FAA’s approval which has hitherto been conservative.
CMS Energy currently has a Zacks Rank #2 (Buy).
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