5 Reasons Smart Water Utilities Need a Weather Station #5: DRONES

As water and wastewater operations continually upgrade and improve procedures, drone technology is becoming increasingly valuable. Also known as Unmanned Aerial Vehicles (UAVs), drones are being used for many things including surveying, inspection, volumetric calculations, safety, education and public relations. Monitoring weather conditions on site enhances the safety and efficiency of drone operations.

In 2017, New Jersey American Water conducted nearly 200 drone flights in over 55 locations. According to Christopher Kahn, senior GIS project manager, inspection and survey provide immediate benefit. For example, by using drones, he says the company can perform elevated water tower inspections with “more accuracy and less risk.” Kahn added, “We are able to measure the progression of rust and other conditions, and provide engineers with actionable condition assessments of a larger number of facilities in short order.”¹

“Drones are a great tool to support your asset management program,” says Troy Gallagher, Water/Wastewater Market Leader at Mead and Hunt. Using drone footage for public outreach and community education is one benefit. Additionally, drones are being used to collect samples from hard-to-reach locations, inspect and survey large sites, and monitor treatment systems at a distance. In potentially dangerous situations such as a chemical spill, pipe break or gas leak, drones can “provide a first response and identify unknown threats before exposing the human element to danger.”²

Weather conditions are a critical factor in drone operation. Access to current meteorological data from the immediate environment can help prevent damage to the UAV and its surroundings. These are some important parameters to monitor for safe and effective drone flights.³

Temperature: UAVs are designed to fly within certain temperature ranges. Extremes can cause damage, overheating, and shorter flight times due to battery drain.

Wind Speed/Gusts: High wind speed and strong gusts cause difficulty in maneuvering and steady positioning.

Precipitation, Humidity: UAVs do not function well in moisture conditions.

As water and wastewater facilities incorporate drone technology, on-location weather monitoring equipment can enable successful operations. This can be achieved with weather stations at key facility locations, or mobile weather stations deployed wherever the drones are being launched.

----------------------------------------------

Image Quote: Anderson, Karen, et.al. (2015, October).Water resource management at catchment scales using lightweight UAVs: current capabilities and future perspectives. Journal of Unmanned Vehicle Systems. Retrieved from http://www.nrcresearchpress.com/doi/full/10.1139/juvs-2015-0026

1: Williams, Andrew. (2018, January). Flying High: How Water is Adopting Drones. Water and Wastewater International. Retrieved from https://www.waterworld.com/articles/wwi/print/volume-33/issue-1/technology-case-studies/flying-high-how-water-is-adopting-drones.html

2: Gallagher, Troy. (2017, August). Drone use for water and wastewater plant projects offers many benefits. Mead & Hunt. https://meadhunt.com/w-ww-drone/

3: NVDrones. (2016, June). 5 Ways Weather Affects Your Drone’s Performance. Retrieved from https://blog.nvdrones.com/5-ways-weather-affects-your-drones-performance-de86141bd132

Additional Reference:

Shields, Barbara. (2018, February). Putting Drones to Work for Water. Public Works. Retrieved from http://www.pwmag.com/administration/gis-asset-management/putting-drones-to-work-for-water_o