PG & E drones used in Kern County for electrical structure maintenance
BAKERSFIELD, Calif. (KGET) — It's a bird, It's a plane, no, it's PG & E's Aerial and Specialized Program coming to a power pole near you, in the name of efficiency.
Vinh Nguyen, a PG & E drone operator said, 'We get a lot closer to the structure, and we can provide efficiency by means of safety. It's much safer to fly a drone than to climb it or to capture data using other means.'
PG & E stated it conducted more than 4,100 drone flights in 2024.
Now, the utility giant is showing off it's tech on the 4000 block of Truxtun Avenue with a live demonstration Wednesday, running from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m.
Andria Borba with PG & E said, 'We have to pay a person to do this, and they can only do maybe two or three poles a day. Our drone pilots can do 20 plus a day.'
Drones also make it safer to inspect power lines and transmitters, because workers don't have to climb the towers and face the risk of a fall or getting electrocuted.
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Mike Rodriguez, a PG & E construction manager said, 'Our pilots will all be able to be identified by safety equipment, hard hat, and vest. They'll have I.D. badges identifying themselves as PG & E employees or PG & E contractors.'
Most importantly, PG & E staff want to pass on the message, they're not spying and they're definitely not working with the paparazzi.
'We are not taking photos, and videos of your home, back yards, families,' said Rodriguez.
'We are strictly taking photos, and videos of the assets, and equipment on our electrical structure,' said Borba.
In 2024, PG&E stated it safely conducted 2,647 drone flights on transmission assets and 1,486 drone flights on distribution assets in Kern County alone.
'Feel free to ask questions. Just please keep in mind to wait until they land the drone before you go and approach them,' said Rodriguez.
Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
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