Understanding the Value of UAVs in a Water Utility · •UAV/UAS/Drone. Unmanned Aerial Vehicle....
Transcript of Understanding the Value of UAVs in a Water Utility · •UAV/UAS/Drone. Unmanned Aerial Vehicle....
Understanding the Value of
UAVs in a Water Utility
Presenter: Chris Kahn, New Jersey American Water
Co-presenter: Eric Gakstatter, DMG
Presented at: Esri Water Conference
Orlando, Fl
February 8, 2017
UAV Glossary
• UAV/UAS/Drone. Unmanned Aerial Vehicle.
• Rotorcraft. Helicopter-type of UAV.
• Fixed-wing. Airplane-type of UAV.
• FAA (Federal Aviation Administration). The federal
gov’t agency that make the rules for flying UAVs
in the US.
Proven Benefits of “Copter” UAS
• Inspection
Assist & Prioritize Facility Inspection
3D model critical low-lying infrastructure
Access impassible sites
• Public Relations
Feature Large Investment Projects
• GIS Mapping
Assist mapping 100’s of main extensions / year
Fast / 12x higher resolution – valves visible
Provide field crews faster ability to locate assets
Equipment / Rust - Logan Tank
New Construction 16” Crossing - Salem New Damage – Cherry Hill
The Rules
Hobby use – <400 ft, max 55 lbs, line of sight. Don't fly over groups of people. No FUI flying.
Commercial use (Part 107) - <400 ft, max 55 lbs, line of sight, 16+ yrs old, FAA Remote pilot certificate (~20 hrs of study and 70% score on FAA test), clear of airports, can’t fly over people not involved in the project.
www.uas.faa.gov
Eric Gakstatter
Principal Consultant
Discovery Management Group
Mobile: 541/829-3443
Chris Kahn
Sr. GIS Project Manager
New Jersey American Water