EagleView Announces Joint Drone Research Project by Pictometry, NUAIR and NYSEARCH/Northeast Gas Association

Bothell, Wash. – EagleView Technology Corporation, a leading technology provider of aerial imagery, data analytics and GIS solutions, announced an important Unmanned Aerial Systems (UAS) research project awarded to Pictometry, an EagleView company, by NYSEARCH/Northeast Gas Association, a consortium of nineteen natural gas companies located across the U.S. and Canada focusing on research, development and demonstration. The project will bring together the expertise of Pictometry and the Northeast UAS Airspace Integration Research (NUAIR) Alliance to focus on the feasibility of using UAS to improve the overall safety and speed of routine and emergency surveys and inspections of pipelines for gas utilities.

Pictometry has become an acknowledged leader in the research of UAS platforms for use in various applications of remote sensing, including utility and infrastructure inspection work.  With the recently awarded contract from Northeast Gas Association, Pictometry will work with NYSEARCH and NUAIR to select potential flight areas and obtain the required authority for each research location by the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) through NUAIR. 

The team will perform ongoing research experimentation in the approved areas utilizing the UAS imaging gas pipeline infrastructure. The research will use a UAS with the system components featuring high-resolution cameras and potentially methane detection devices to enhance pipeline safety.  The testing will include flight plan creation, protocol development and effective field implementation.

 “The research program came from the interests of NYSEARCH member gas utilities to perform routine inspections and surveys of facilities from an aerial vantage point along with the ability for rapid response in the case of emergency situations,” stated Joseph P. Mallia, NYSEARCH/NGA.  “With an eye-in-the-sky perspective, we hope to obtain more information and see more so it is safer for our inspectors.  It can be dangerous for people during these inspections, especially under bridges and other difficult-to-reach areas.  Our members perform inspections regularly and we believe that a well-equipped UAS featuring cameras and methane detectors could introduce an additional effective inspection instrument.”

“Pictometry has a strong partnership with NUAIR Alliance and has also recently founded the Property Drone Consortium (PDC),” stated Chris Barrow, CEO and president of EagleView Technology Corporation.  “We are focused on the research and eventual creation of UAS platforms that increase safety for numerous industries while capturing high-resolution imagery that can not only produce a large amount of data but can easily fit into current workflows.  Creating a total solution from start to finish is the key and the reason this type of research is so essential.”

“Gas utility inspections and surveys are critical to safe operation of the pipelines.  They involve many trained field technicians, vehicles and instrumentation.  If we can use an UAS to capture additional intelligent images and data, it may provide an increased level of information that we can act on for maintaining pipeline integrity,” concluded Mallia.  

About EagleView

EagleView Technology Corporation is the unparalleled provider of aerial imagery, data analytics and GIS solutions serving the commercial, government and public utility sectors.  The company’s patented image capture processes and 3D modeling algorithms coupled with property-centric analytic tools empower end-user workflows with scalable, efficient and highly accurate answer sets in support of property claims, risk management, construction, emergency response, assessment, corridor mapping and more.   For more information contact (866) 659-8439 or visit www.eagleview.com or www.pictometry.com.

About NYSEARCH

NYSEARCH is a collaborative Research, Development & Demonstration (RD & D) organization dedicated to serving its gas utility member companies. Members of NYSEARCH voluntarily participate in projects and programs to target RD & D areas that directly address their unique challenges and opportunities. The core of the NYSEARCH model is joint collaboration and guidance from participating members.

About the NUAIR Alliance

The NUAIR Alliance is a New York based not-for-profit coalition of more than 70 private and public entities and academic institutions working together to operate and oversee Unmanned Aerial Systems (UAS) test ranges in New York, Massachusetts and Michigan.  Headquartered at Griffiss International Airport, in Rome, New York, NUAIR manages one of just six UAS test sites in the United States leading the research and deployment technologies that establish the case for safe UAS operations in the nation’s commercial airspace.