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Articles
January Technical Speaker 1
Improving Electrical Utility Infrastructure Reliability with “Drone” Inspection Technology: Safer, Better, Cheaper!
Just as calculators and computers transformed those of us who were taught to use slide rules for engineering calculations, I urge you to pay close attention. We are now in the early stages of another technical transformation within our profession – the “drone revolution”. The FAA opened the door in the United States for the commercial use of small, unmanned aerial systems (sUAS’s) in March of 2015. And what a transformation this appears to be for the Civil/Structural Engineering community. We should all be excited as an industry because one of the immediate applications of this exciting new technology appears to be the promise of significant, economical improvements in the inspection of critical civil infrastructure – highway bridges, buildings, dams, oil and gas pipelines, offshore oil and gas platforms, electrical transmission and distribution lines, and railroad tracks and bridges. The list of what can and is now being done with “drones” goes on and on. There is no arguing the critical importance of routine, detailed inspections and assessment of the condition of this nation’s critical infrastructure. Our own organization, ASCE, spends a great deal of effort and resources grading our industry’s efforts with its Report Card for America’s Infrastructure. And if we were still in college, we would be on Scholastic Probation with the D+ we received on our last report card. A significant number of the “certificates of authorization” (COA’s) now issued by the FAA for the commercial use of “drones” have been issued to firms wishing to perform inspections of one form or another. This presentation will provide a case study of our own experience inspecting high voltage electrical transmission lines and renewable energy facilities (primarily wind towers and blades), using “drone” technology. This technology is clearly safer, less expensive, and provides far more detailed and actionable data than traditional methods used for these inspections. New sensors and camera payload systems are rapidly being developed that will even further transform the information we are able to obtain from these devices. With those benefits, will we be able to improve our Report Card Grade? Only time will tell, but this exciting new technology surely appears to be on the verge of causing a paradigm shift to those of us involved with the design, construction, and inspection of critical infrastructure projects.
Mr. Oliphant began his professional career in 1974 as a Civil Engineering Officer in the United States Air Force. He has professional expertise related to the structural design, manufacturing, installation and inspection of wood poles, tubular steel poles, prestressed concrete poles, fiberglass composite poles, and lattice type steel towers used to support a variety of critical infrastructure including electrical transmission and distribution lines, athletic field and other lighting systems, and wireless communications equipment. He founded and is currently Principal - Chief Technical Officer of both ReliaPOLE Inspection Services Company, Inc. (RISC) and, Advanced Aerial Inspection Resources, Inc. (AAIR)
Mr. Oliphant has authored and presented numerous technical papers relating to the design, manufacturing, installation and on-going maintenance of various types of pole and tower structures. He has significant experience in the forensic failure analysis of steel and concrete pole failures as well as their components. He is a charter member of ASCE’s Structural Engineering Institute (SEI) and is currently an active member of SEI’s Committee of Electrical Transmission Structures, as well as Chairman of the local Houston Chapter of SEI.
In 2010, Mr. Oliphant received the Gene Wilhoite Award presented by ASCE/SEI for his significant lifetime contributions to the advancement of the “Art and Science of Transmission Line Engineering”. He is an inventor/co-inventor on six patents related to design and manufacturing of electrical transmission pole structures. He is a Fellow of the Structural Engineering Institute, a Fellow of the American Society of Civil Engineers, a Member of the Institute of Electronic and Electrical Engineers, and a Member of the American Welding Society.
Mr. Oliphant is a 1974 graduate of Texas A&M University with an undergraduate degree in Civil Engineering, and a 1987 graduate of the University of Houston with a graduate degree in Business Administration. He is Registered Professional Engineer in the state of Texas as well as an American Welding Society, Certified Weld Inspector.
