Power lines, substations, and transmission corridors are some of the toughest—and most valuable—environments for drones. In S3E19 of Sky Commander Academy, we spotlight real-world BVLOS (Beyond Visual Line of Sight) operations in the utilities sector, breaking down how companies are using drones to cut costs, improve safety, and transform inspections.

In this episode:
⚡ Why utilities need BVLOS – covering massive linear assets like transmission lines and pipelines that can’t be inspected efficiently with VLOS
📡 Tech enablers – detect-and-avoid systems, redundant comms, GNSS mapping, and advanced sensors that make BVLOS feasible for large-scale inspections
🏭 Case study: Transmission line inspections – how drones are reducing helicopter flights, cutting costs, and improving crew safety
🌲 Case study: Vegetation management – using BVLOS to detect encroachment risks before they cause outages or fires
🚨 Case study: Emergency response – rapid BVLOS surveys after storms, floods, or wildfires to restore power faster
⚖️ Regulatory lessons – how operators secured approvals, mitigated risk, and aligned with Transport Canada expectations
💡 Pro tips – scaling BVLOS programs in utilities: building an RPOC framework, training crews, and leveraging AI-driven reporting

BVLOS isn’t just a future concept—it’s already reshaping how utilities manage Canada’s most critical infrastructure. Learn how these case studies prove the value of long-range drone operations and what you can take away for your own missions.

👉 SkyCommander.ca
🎧 Tune in on Apple, Spotify, or wherever you get your preflight motivation.

#DroneSafety #RPASCanada #SkyCommanderAcademy #BVLOS #Utilities #DroneInspections #MissionReady #FlySmart #RPASOpsCanada