Future of Drones: US relaxes rules to let drones be flown out of sight

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There's been a surge in the popularity of drones. In the United States, while many people are allowed to operate them, there is an important catch: you must be able to see it while you're flying it. But that requirement is being relaxed just a bit. CGTN's Hendrik Sybrandy reports from Colorado.

"So good morning and welcome to Platteville, Colorado."

North of Denver recently, there was a demonstration of the role technology is playing in the utility industry.

DAVID EVES XCEL ENERGY EXECUTIVE V.P. "I think within the next decade we'll probably see more changes in our industry than we've seen in the last 50 years."

This year, Xcel Energy became the first utility to commercially operate a drone beyond the line of sight of pilots and visual observers. Drones and utilities you say.

HENDRIK SYBRANDY CGTN, DENVER "In fact, Xcel, which provides energy to millions of homes in eight US states has been using unmanned aerial vehicles more advanced than this one to inspect transmission lines and other equipment for the past several years."

GEORGE KIROV HARRIS CORP. COMMERCIAL UAS SOLUTIONS "They're meant to detect issues, problems earlier than before, more precisely than before so that the company can address them correctly."

The U.S. Federal Aviation Administration has always required drones to be flown within a pilot's view for safety reasons, but now it's given Xcel a waiver to fly these vehicles out of sight, extending their range eight kilometers for now and their capabilities. The company says it's a game-changer.

MICHAEL LAMB XCEL ENERGY SR. V.P. OF TRANSMISSION "A helicopter to patrol a line of transmission is $1600. We can do that for 20% of the cost using a drone and get better information."

Drones can also be deployed to coal boilers.

MICHAEL LAMB XCEL ENERGY SR. V.P. OF TRANSMISSION "In order to inspect that on an annual basis, you have a dozen people scaffolding, harnessing. Two pilots and a drone can do it in eight hours."

Sophisticated data links connecting ground equipment with sensors on board the drone help keep the vehicle away from other aircraft and hazards. Establishing the reliability and safety beyond a visual line of sight, or BVLOS, has taken time but the Harris Corporation's George Kirov says we'll see more of it commercially before long.

GEORGE KIROV HARRIS CORP. COMMERCIAL UAS SOLUTIONS "The step from line of sight to BVLOS is going to happen. The regulator, the F.A.A., is absolutely committed to it, but it's a major major change which makes this event day quite unique."

Xcel says it can now better patrol its 500-thousand kilometers of electricity and gas infrastructure and perhaps pass some of its cost savings onto its customers.

MICHAEL LAMB XCEL ENERGY SR. V.P. OF TRANSMISSION "The next logical step which we're far away from is a drone doing actual work."

Another potential game-changer for the utility industry that soon may be within sight. Hendrik Sybrandy, CGTN, Denver.