How has COVID-19 hit the operations of unmanned systems? When and how do energy / industrial unmanned program managers see the rebound?

There is no doubt that the pandemic has had a considerable impact on all sectors, and the energy / industrial unmanned market finds itself right in the middle of these challenging times.

For the most part, the current operations and projects have been delayed, either in a minor or significant way. However, the projected rebound is right around the corner, and most projects are predicted to be back online, or hurrying to catch up, before year-end.

The feedback we have received from our Energy Drone & Robotics Coalition global community showcases that unmanned projects for permitting and inspections for government reporting are mostly uninterrupted. The power / utilities and midstream oil & gas (pipelines, terminals & storage) have seen less impact, and some renewable energy projects have accelerated their UAV usage to meet deadlines. Growth has also been seen for internal / indoor infrastructure inspections, maintenance and cleaning to avoid or lessen human contact.

We asked hundreds of energy / industrial unmanned leaders about now & next for their operations. And...

We plan to regularly share these quick Pulse Surveys to keep the industry up-to-date on key trends and resources. (Did someone say “resources”? You can check out our recent unmanned power / utility and oil & gas reports here.) Keep an eye out for the next Pulse Survey in June!

Onward & Upward,
Sean
Executive Director
Energy Drone & Robotics Coalition

P. S. We went in-depth to discuss the specific projects currently on hold and when / how things will return our recent Think Tank Thursday virtual event with Shell, ExxonMobil, Southern Company, Precision Aerial and Duke Energy.  

P.S.S. Our next Trends with Friends gives you the solid recap of that session and discusses the new best practices for unmanned in the “new normal.” If you just have to see & hear it for yourself - right now - then go here to watch on demand!