What type of UAS utility are you?

Some of the largest UAS-focused (or integrated) drone initiatives are coming from the critical infrastructure sector. The Tactien team has worked closely with some of the largest linear infrastructure companies in the country over the years, and we have watched how that sector has responded to the advent of commercial UAS. What is most interesting is that utility companies have developed their own “personality types” regarding their stance on UAS. If you are part of a utility company, how you would classify your organization?

1. Innovative Leader

   1. Whether or not your organization understands the risks associated, your organization has gone all-in on pushing the boundaries of UAS integration.

   2. Your organization is aware that there will be challenges along the way, many of which have not been accounting for.

   3. Your program will require a large investment both in labor and capital

   4. If you are successful, you will have pushed the industry in leaps and bounds.

   5. If you are not successful, the industry is going to take a hit.

   6. High-Risk, High-Reward

      
      

2. Massive Scaler

   1. At some level, your organization has decided that portions of the UAS industry are worth scaling, now.

   2. Chances are your utility asset footprint is large, and your organization also has a large capital budget accompanied by a slightly less (but still large) operating budget

   3. Your integration program is so ambitious, that you decide to contract out some of the highest volume service contracts to sUAS service providers. Right now, that’s the only way the industry can get you over the finish line.

   4. The risk of failure is diversified since a portion of your flight operations is done in-house while the remaining is in the hands of vetted contractors.

   5. There are however a completely different set risk factors with this model. Managing contractor consistency, the ever-growing hurdles that contractors jump over to stay in business, and the challenges of large-scale operations all contribute to a complex set of issues.

   6. (Different) Moderate Risk, (Potentially) High-Reward

      
      

3. Toe-Dipper

   1. Your organization is either new to the idea of UAS or is waiting to see how the front-runner/scaler programs shake out.

   2. Your organization does utilize sUAS, but not nearly as much or at the same scale as the innovators/scalers.

   3. In theory, your organization wants to be at the same table as the “bigs”. However, that won’t happen because you either (1) do not have the budget or (2) are not willing to take the risk just yet.

   4. Low(er) Risk, Low(er) Reward

      
      

4. Mezzanine Audience

   1. Your organization is aware of UAS (who isn’t at this point). However, the regulations are too confusing, the industry messaging cause the need for an Advil, and you just can’t seem to get enough answers to make a go-no-go decision.

   2. Your organization has decided to sit back and watch the others to see what happens.

   3. Potentially no risk, potentially no reward

      
      

5. Non-believer

   1. From what your organization has heard from colleague-companies, you simply don’t buy it.

   2. The traditional methods of inspection, mapping, and operational management is good enough for your organization.

   3. Maybe one day your organization can be convinced otherwise, but until the UAS industry has shaken off the juvenile feathers, you don’t want to talk about it.

   4. Potentially no risk, potentially no reward

The fact of the matter is that each persona has the correct perspective. The needs, aspirations, resources (budget), and risk tolerance at one utility is vastly different than another. The UAS industry should think of infrastructure utilities as people. We all have different personalities, wants, and needs. The inclusion (or exclusion) of unmanned aircraft technology at any one utility is completely up to the utility themselves. Regardless of stance, every utility should first seek an unbiased opinion as to whether to get on the train now, how to get a train ticket, or wait for the next one.