Experiance
Transmission Line and Structure Inspection
PinnaclX pilots first started inspecting transmission structures in New England in 2014 and have identified problems ranging from routine maintenance items to severe deficiencies that require immediate attention.
The structures inspected include lattice, steel monopole, wood monopole, wood, double monopole, modified lattice, and other structures. PinnaclX has inspected structures that are more than 200 feet tall with structure tops towering more than 300 feet above the sUAS take-off and landing location.
In June 2014 our chief UAS pilot received the first ever Certificate of Authorization (COA) from the FAA to test UAS's next to energized high voltage power lines and since then he has logged over 15,000 transmission inspection and developmental flights. The pilots have flown the Chameleon multirotor and modified commercial UAS between 345KV lines, 115KV line, and line combinations. On some occasions the aircraft has hovered for over 10 minutes within a few feet of 345KV energized lines in high humidity conditions. The flight conditions have ranged from high temperatures to 98F, high humidity, and wind gusts up to 25 mph on a regular basis at altitudes up to 2500 feet MSL (under 400 feet AGL) flown from mountain tops. In many cases the pilot took off and landed the sUAS from a point that was 3 ft. by 3 ft. on a sloped surface and had to navigate around dense brush.
A typical sUAS flight consists of 5 to 15-minute site review, safety risk assessment and aircraft preflight inspection followed by a 7 to 24-minute inspection flight for several 150 foot tall double circuit lattice structure. Some of the inspection flights of complex structures have taken over 20 minutes. PinnaclX has developed a standard inspection procedure that provides pictures of all hardware points, insulators, wire support points, hot and cold ends, shield wire connections, pole tops and structural points for typical structures. PinnaclX pilots are also well versed in conductor inspection along with the identification of encroachment issues and frayed cables.
Our pilots are capable of flying aircraft manually when there is compass errors, poor GPS reception, or in the event of a GPS failure when flying sUAS between 80 + foot tall vegetation and structures and/or between structures. PinnaclX has also developed standard operating procedures from preflight to inspection that is similar to helicopter operators.
PinnaclX Employee Training
OEX Overland Experts 4X4 Off Road Course - East Haddam CT
General first aid
Foot patrol in utility right of way
PinnaclX Chief Pilot Alfred Gates trains the PinnaclX sUAS pilots
High voltage power line inspection (On site)
Distribution line inspection (On site)
Substation inspection (On site)
FAA Part 107 Waivers
First FAA waiver in the United States to test sUAS next to high voltage transmission lines.
FAA Certification of Authorization (COA) 2014-ESA-89 June 2, 2014 to June 1, 2016
Purpose: To prescribe UAS operating requirements in the National Airspace System (NAS) for the purpose of identifying strengths and weakness of applying sUAS toward support structure inspection and to develop a sUAS that is capable of operating in the power line environment.
Night small unmanned aircraft systems operations; Waiver Number: 107W-2017-04255
Beyond visual line of sight; Waiver Number: 107W-2019-01651
All class D airspace in Connecticut that do not operate under LAANC
All class D airspace in Massachusetts that do not operate under LAANC
All class D airspace in New Hampshire that do not operate under LAANC