MEMPHIS, Tenn — Memphis Light, Gas and Water is beginning to use drones to inspect electrical utility equipment in Orange Mound and Sherwood Forest in an effort to improve infrastructure.
MLGW said Friday it was partnering with drone operator PrecisionHawk for the inspections, which start Monday, March 13, 2023, and will last about a month. The utility said this is part of its Five-Year Service Improvement Plan.
A second contractor will also help by using satellite imagery and computer analysis to identify hazardous trees in the area.
MLGW said Orange Mound and Sherwood Forest experience the most interruptions with the longest outages in Shelby County. The goal is to improve service to these hard-hit areas.
“The use of drones holds real promise for improving the efficiency of assessing electrical infrastructure. If this trial phase is successful, we may adopt them as part of our regular inspection and repair process,” said MLGW President and CEO Doug McGowen in a news release.
MLGW said all workers will have IDs and vehicles marked with MLGW or PrecisionHawk logos.
