Telus Drones Are Maintaining Your Cell Phone Towers Michael Kwan October 31, 2016 News We tend to think of the world of drones as coming from two very distinct camps. On the one hand, you have the military application. On the other hand, you have hobbyists and amateur filmmakers. It’s time to add another camp to the mix: fixing network infrastructure and maintaining your ability to post food porn on Instagram. When it comes to problems like fixing power lines, hanging off the side of a power pole can seem like a rather precarious situation. Safety measures are in place, of course, but it’s probably even safer if you don’t have to put a human up there in the first place. And if you do, keeping the human up there for the shortest amount of time possible is probably ideal. That’s the idea that Telus is floating for maintaining its cell phone towers. The Canadian telecommunications giant is currently training drone pilots in Alberta. They’re using the DJI Inspire, since it can handle those cold Alberta winters. The drones can be used to actually fix anything that needs fixing on the cell towers, of course, but they can capture high resolution (up to 4K) video. This video can then be used to check up on the condition of components or diagnose potential issues. For now, Telus is piloting (sorry) the project only in Alberta and they’ve been working with the idea since 2014. Telus is the only carrier in Canada using drones for regular tower maintenance. We have to remember that they’re not just picking up some drones at Best Buy and tossing them at their maintenance guys. They need training and oversight and regulatory approval. Of course, safety is a concern and that’s even more important when working around expensive equipment and dangerous work environments. You can see how using drones would prove useful under a number of different work scenarios. Construction guys can check the roof without having to climb up there. Utility providers can scout out issues from afar without the risk of electrocution. The possibilities are limitless, going well beyond your growing YouTube vlog. Share This With The World!
