(COLDWATER) - The Coldwater Board of Public Utilities is transitioning to full-scale use of drone technology to inspect its electric infrastructure in 2026. The utility recently approved a five-year, $248,000 contract with Norwegian technology company eSmart Systems following a successful year-long pilot program.
The drones capture high-resolution images of power lines and utility poles, which are then analyzed using artificial intelligence through the company's Grid Vision platform. Utility officials say the approach allows crews to identify potential problems before they cause service interruptions, replacing traditional break-and-fix maintenance.
During the 2024 pilot program, about 4,600 drone images were reduced to roughly 400 actionable issues, including low-hanging live conductors and advanced pole deterioration. In the summer of 2025, CBPU expanded its in-house drone use to inspect about 400 utility poles.
CBPU manages 217 miles of overhead electric circuits and approximately 7,000 poles within its 9.5-square-mile service area. Officials say manual inspections are time-consuming and can miss defects at the tops of poles.
The utility is also exploring future drone use for other infrastructure, including water and sewer systems. CBPU officials say they plan to continue expanding drone applications as regulations evolve, positioning the utility as a leader among small municipal systems using aerial inspection technology.