The City of Hillsboro hereby sets forth guidelines for the implementation of drone technology to conduct thermographic circuit inspections with the city’s infrastructure. This policy aims to ensure the reliability and safety of the distribution system. With the integration of drone technology into the inspection process, trained personnel operating the drone, capturing data, and analyzing results may efficiently identify anomalies or areas requiring further investigation. This policy focuses on addressing customer concerns and proactively identifying potential issues through the following provisions:

1.    Utilization of Drone with Thermal Camera: To enhance inspection effectiveness, a drone equipped with thermal and optical cameras will be used by a certified member of the City of Hillsboro’s staff. This technology facilitates the detection of potential problems, such as hotspots and abnormal heat signatures, that might not be visible to the naked eye, ensuring early issue detection.

2.    Vegetation Inspection: During inspections, the drone will also survey surrounding vegetation. Overgrown vegetation poses a risk to power lines and can lead to outages and safety hazards. The drone will gather images and data to assess vegetation proximity to power lines, facilitating timely management and maintenance.

Implementation:

1.    To ensure the safety of both linemen, or designated inspection conductors, and technology assets, drone operation certification is a requirement for anyone scheduled to manage the drone during inspections. Individual certification should be confirmed prior to conducting drone inspections.

2.    As such, this policy will not be applicable within the Municipal Code until a member of the city’s staff attains certification.

3.    This policy serves as a discretionary adjunct principle to the Distribution Circuit Inspection Program policy and therefore adheres to its implementation and scheduling terms.

Review and Revision:

The policy will be reviewed periodically to assess its effectiveness and incorporate any necessary updates or improvements. Feedback from relevant stakeholders will be solicited, and revisions will be made as necessary.

Compliance:

All personnel involved in circuit inspections, including electric linemen, operators, and maintenance staff, must adhere to this policy. Non-compliance may result in disciplinary action.

(07-02-2024)