New survey shows North American utilities turning to drones as extreme weather and decaying infrastructure raise risks
A new report from SwissDrones highlights how executives across North America’s energy sector are preparing for a future in which uncrewed aerial vehicles (UAVs) play a central role in maintaining critical infrastructure. The Energy Infrastructure Index, based on a survey of 100 C-level executives from electricity, gas, oil, and public utility companies, underscores growing concern about the condition of aging assets and the mounting threats posed by climate change.
Infrastructure Under Pressure
Executives report that the North American energy system is under increasing strain. Decaying infrastructure combined with severe weather is expected to cause more frequent service interruptions and higher costs for consumers. Nearly 90 percent of respondents believe a major, preventable pipeline or powerline incident will occur within the next decade, while 92 percent predict consumer price increases linked to infrastructure failures.
Extreme weather has become a top concern, with 96 percent of executives expressing worry about their company’s ability to withstand major storms. Yet most say the industry remains reactive rather than proactive, responding to breakdowns instead of preventing them.
Inspection Gaps and Labor Shortages
The report finds that traditional inspection methods are no longer sufficient. Human crews continue to dominate inspection practices, with 61 percent of executives saying their companies rely only on human labor. However, 69 percent admit they cannot inspect assets frequently enough, and 93 percent identify the inability to perform thorough inspections as a major challenge.
Labor shortages are compounding the problem, leaving companies struggling to cover vast networks of pipelines and powerlines. These gaps mean critical issues may go undetected until they cause outages.
Data and Environmental Concerns
Executives also highlighted challenges with data quality. Nearly half say their inspection data is out of date, while others say they either lack enough data or are overwhelmed with too much to analyze effectively. Accurate, timely data is critical for identifying small changes before they escalate into crises.
Environmental pressures are also shaping decisions. Traditional helicopter inspections are under scrutiny due to emissions, with 97 percent of executives acknowledging their environmental drawbacks. Almost all respondents said they have already invested in environmentally friendly inspection technologies, with UAVs emerging as a leading solution.
UAVs Offer a Path Forward
The study indicates that UAVs are poised to replace helicopters as the preferred inspection tool within the next decade. Ninety-six percent of executives say UAVs are safer and more environmentally friendly than helicopters, while nearly all agree UAVs have applications beyond inspections, including transporting critical payloads.
Adoption, however, remains uneven. Only 44 percent of companies have implemented UAV programs to date, with regulatory hurdles cited by 88 percent of executives as the main obstacle. Due to the complexity of building large-scale UAV flight programs, a majority expect to outsource at least part of the process to third parties.
Drones will play an increasingly important role in addressing the dual challenges of aging infrastructure and climate-driven risks. As utilities seek to improve safety, efficiency, and environmental sustainability, UAV adoption could transform inspection practices across the energy sector.
SwissDrones, a Zurich-based developer of long-range uncrewed helicopter systems, is among the companies supporting this transition, providing solutions designed to extend flight endurance, carry heavy payloads, and deliver real-time data insights. With approvals in over 35 countries and deployments in 14, the company continues to work with some of the largest energy and utility providers worldwide.
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Miriam McNabb is the Editor-in-Chief of DRONELIFE and CEO of JobForDrones, a professional drone services marketplace, and a fascinated observer of the emerging drone industry and the regulatory environment for drones. Miriam has penned over 3,000 articles focused on the commercial drone space and is an international speaker and recognized figure in the industry. Miriam has a degree from the University of Chicago and over 20 years of experience in high tech sales and marketing for new technologies.
For drone industry consulting or writing, Email Miriam.
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