PrecisionHawk Launches Drone Skills Program for Rural Electric Co-ops

Source: PrecisionHawk

North Carolina-based drone company PrecisionHawk is powering up a new partnership with the National Rural Electric Cooperative Association (NRECA) to teach electric co-ops the ABCs of UAVs.

The new course and skills assessment are designed to enhance pilots’ knowledge and confidence to inspect electricity transmission and distribution assets more safely and efficiently. The skills assessment is based on the National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) and American Society for Testing and Materials (ASTM) standards for UAS.

The program will encompass approximately 10 hours of flight time where drone pilots can “learn the dos and don’ts of flying, safety tips for navigating hazardous environments and emergency situations and UAS industry best practices for maintaining equipment and increasing its lifespan,” a PrecisionHawk spokesperson said.

“The full skills assessment will ultimately test pilots on skill competencies regarding drone-led…