Reshaping the Security Landscape for Utilities 

For utility operators, drones and utility infrastructure are a promising match—offering high-resolution inspections, real-time damage assessments, and cost-effective monitoring across vast, hard-to-reach terrain. 

From wildfire-prone transmission lines to post-storm damage checks, drones are helping reduce outage times, limit risk to field workers, and improve infrastructure resilience. According to a 2023 report from the Edison Electric Institute (EEI), nearly 80% of major utilities now use drones in some capacity, with BVLOS flights increasingly approved under waivers for critical inspection use cases. 

But alongside this value comes growing uncertainty—particularly when drones appear uninvited over substations, hydro dams, and power plants. 

The Operational Risk of Unidentified Drones

The utility sector is increasingly aware that while authorized drone operations are beneficial, unauthorized flights pose a serious security concern. In 2022, multiple U.S. utilities reported drone incursions over sensitive facilities, including incidents under federal investigation by the FBI and DHS. The concern? Unidentified drones could be gathering surveillance data, testing response times, or preparing for a physical or cyberattack. And because utilities are part of the nation’s critical infrastructure, they fall under federal risk management frameworks—yet most still lack tools to detect or respond to aerial intrusions. 

Why Radar Belongs in the Utility Toolkit

Protecting utility infrastructure calls for a layered sensor stack, and radar is essential in that architecture. Here's why: 

• Persistent, all-weather coverage: Radar works day and night, through fog, rain, and smoke 

• Detects non-cooperative aircraft: Identifies drones not emitting RF or Remote ID signals 

• Scalable and integratable: Easily deployed across substations, transmission corridors, and remote sites 

• Supports compliance: Helps meet DHS and NERC-CIP guidance on situational awareness and threat detection 

As utilities continue expanding drone operations, they must also expand airspace situational awareness. The same technologies that enable safe BVLOS flights—like compact radar—also help detect the threats that utility operators can’t afford to miss. 

To hear more from utility experts and airspace security leaders on the promise and challenges of drones in energy, watch the LinkedIn Live replay hosted by Echodyne’s own David Lewin: LinkedIn LIVE - Drones and Utilities: The Good, the Bad, and the Uncertain | LinkedIn