Since launching its drone inspection program in July 2024, the City of Loveland Utilities in Colorado has seen outstanding results from the program as it strives to deliver safer, faster and more reliable service, it said on July 8.
“By the end of May 2025, we inspected 1,102 utility poles -- nearly 28% of all poles in the city,” the public power utility noted.
“Thanks to drone technology, we’re now able to inspect poles at a rate of 29 per hour, a significant improvement over traditional ground-based methods. Drones provide a clear top-down view of pole components and enable thermal inspections—capabilities that would otherwise require bucket trucks or workers to climb the poles. For poles in tight rear easements without alley access, drones are often the only way in,” the utility said.
These inspections aren’t just efficient — they’re preventative. About 60% of the issues the utility has discovered had the potential to cause power outages. "By identifying and repairing these problems early, we estimate we’ve prevented more than 504,000 minutes of outages for our customers."
Beyond power poles, the utiity's drone has supported several key projects across the city:
• Alexander Mountain Fire Burn Area: the utility surveyed Big Thompson River tributaries within the burn scar to identify erosion and runoff risks, helping the water quality lab plan mitigation efforts.
• Green Ridge Glade Reservoir: Using drone imagery and digital terrain models from 2024 and 2025, the utility is monitoring shoreline erosion and responding proactively as needed.
• Namaqua Hills Pump Stations: Aerial mapping and terrain data helped engineers design new pump stations for this expanding neighborhood.
• 43rd Street Water Tank: The drone captured pre-construction imagery and has documented each stage of the build — from excavation to concrete pour.
• Solar Field Inspections: After storms, the utility used thermal imagery to identify hail damage and detect underperforming solar cells.
Starting in July, Loveland Water and Power officially became City of Loveland Utilities
