COLDWATER, MI (WTVB) – Entering 2026, the Coldwater Board of Public Utilities (CBPU) is officially transitioning from pilot testing to full-scale implementation of drone-based infrastructure inspections. Following a year-long successful trial, the utility board recently approved a five-year, $248,000 contract with Norwegian tech company eSmart Systems to integrate artificial intelligence (AI) with aerial data to safeguard the city’s electrical grid.
The new initiative represents a major shift from reactive “break-fix” maintenance to a proactive, data-driven approach. By utilizing the eSmart Systems Grid Vision platform, the CBPU will analyze thousands of high-resolution images captured by drones to identify vulnerabilities before they lead to service disruptions.
During the summer of 2025, CBPU expanded its internal capabilities by using its own drones to inspect approximately 400 utility poles.
A 2024 pilot program demonstrated the technology’s effectiveness by narrowing 4,600 aerial images down to 400 actionable items, including the discovery of dangerously low-hanging live conductors and severe pole rot.
The CBPU manages 217 miles of overhead circuits and 7,000 poles across a 9.5-square-mile service area. Traditional manual inspections are labor-intensive and often miss subtle defects at the top of poles.
Beyond the electric grid, drone technology is seeing increased interest for wider utility applications in 2026. This includes potential for inspecting water resource recovery facilities and sewer systems, mirroring similar “poop drone” initiatives in other Michigan counties that use specialized sensors to detect hazardous gases and structural failures in underground pipes.
As Michigan lawmakers move to establish a statewide drone registry in 2026, the CBPU remains a leader among small municipal utilities in leveraging advanced aerial mobility to improve community safety and service reliability.
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