In an era where drones, AI, and digital models are reshaping nearly every industry, utilities are on the brink of a transformative revolution in the way they inspect their assets. Making the business case to invest in these tools to regulators and then integrating these tools into day-to-day operations can be a far murkier endeavor.

This presentation will explore the compelling business case for integrating LiDAR and satellite imagery, image recognition tools, and the resulting data into utility operations, specifically for vegetation management and pole inspection use cases. It will then delve into the critical considerations for change management. 

This presentation will follow the journey of two sister utilities – AES Indiana and AES Ohio – and how they have progressed from early proof of concept through regulatory approvals to planning full-scale integration of the technology into its inspection processes, system models, and asset management. AES has developed the foundational tools, is initiating a pilot, and has a pending application in front of regulators for full-scale deployment. The presentation will share AES’ experience and lessons learned in developing a robust business case, pursuing regulatory approval, and integrating it into its operations.