Federal Aviation Administration waivers expand Xcel Energy’s ability to conduct drone flights
The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) recently issued waivers for Xcel Energy and the North Dakota’s Integration Pilot Program (IPP) to allow them to conduct a broader range of unmanned aerial systems (UAS) flights without a chase plane or other visual observers.
Under its initial waiver, Xcel Energy could only conduct BVLOS line inspections in a small geographic area in Colorado. The new waiver moves the company from an authority based on a specific location to one based on meeting certain operational criteria. It allows Xcel Energy to conduct unmanned flights without a visual observer within 100 feet above and 20 feet laterally of the company’s transmission lines across eight states, including in North Dakota.
“Our work on unmanned aircraft systems with Senator Hoeven demonstrates that collaboration benefits our customers, the economy and the environment,” Kent Larson, executive vice president and group president of operations for Xcel Energy, said. “Our latest waiver is a significant step forward as we build on our industry leading use of drones to improve the safety and reliability of the electrical grid. North Dakota is a national pioneer in developing new ways to use drone technology, and we thank the senator for his leadership and support integrating drones into the national airspace.”
The IPP waiver expands North Dakota’s ability to conduct BVLOS flights in urban environments and over people and incorporates a night flight authorization previously acquired for the Northern Plains UAS Test Site.
Sen. John Hoeven (R-ND) worked with the FAA, including with Associate Administrator for Aviation Safety Ali Bahrami, to help provide certainty for beyond-visual-line-of-sight (BVLOS) UAS operations in North Dakota. Hoeven secured a commitment from Bahrami to provide a list of requirements and a timeline that would allow BVLOS operations to proceed on a routine basis.
“The waivers strengthen the federal, state and private partnerships we’ve built and enable the testing and implementation of this technology for public, commercial, rural and urban applications,” Hoeven said. “That means our test site and pilot program can provide unmatched opportunities to demonstrate the benefits of unmanned aircraft, including cost-savings and safer working environments, while also helping to advance the technology’s full and safe integration into the national airspace.”
