White Paper

Use of Drones for Monitoring and Inspection of Energy Infrastructure

 
“The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) recently issued a final rule to regulate the commercial use of small unmanned aircraft or drones.[1] Some of the requirements of the final rule could preclude the use of drones for the efficient monitoring and inspection of remote and linear energy facilities such as transmission lines, pipelines and hydroelectric facilities. Congress, however, has instructed the FAA to develop procedures to exempt from those requirements the use of drones for monitoring and inspection of critical infrastructure.

This Alert provides an overview of the requirements with which drone operators must comply in order to legally operate a drone. It also provides a brief explanation of the steps that utilities, pipelines and their contractors must take in order to operate drones for monitoring and inspection operations on critical infrastructure facilities.”

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Tom Roberts is a Partner at Van Ness Feldman LLP. He helps clients manage the potential impact of federal and state energy, environmental, and natural resource policies and actions on their commercial and industrial interests. Mr. Roberts specializes in legal, strategic and government relations advice to clients developing oil and natural gas pipelines, LNG terminals and electric transmission projects.

Bryn S. Karaus is a member of Van Ness Feldman LLP’s pipeline safety practice. She focuses on the regulation of pipelines and liquefied natural gas (LNG) facilities and the transportation of hazardous materials, and helps operators develop, implement, and defend their safety programs.

Darshana Singh is an associate at Van Ness Feldman and assists clients and firm professionals in the energy regulatory arena. Prior to joining Van Ness Feldman, Darsh served as a law clerk in the Office of Administrative Litigation at the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC) and interned at the Federal Trade Commission (FTC).

Faculty

Tom Roberts

Van Ness Feldman LLP