"To minimize the danger to our employees, we have brought the UAV 'reconnaissance' experience gained by our military into the energy sector. For several months now, specialists have been training our repair teams to operate drones, allowing them to remotely detect equipment damage while remaining in a safer location," stated Andriy Stasevskyi, head of Zaporizhzhiaoblenergo.
According to him, the company's employees have to work in extreme proximity to the front line every day, and the longer the crews remain there, the higher the risks. For instance, to restore an overhead power line, workers must first inspect several kilometers of the line to locate the damage. This process can take hours under conditions where there is nowhere to take shelter outside of residential areas. Therefore, during equipment inspections, energy workers are highly vulnerable to enemy shelling.
Currently, thanks to Stanislav Zhadan, Assistant to the General Director, the company has managed to engage leading UAV experts to synthesize and begin implementing their accumulated experience into operations.
"We already have our first 'graduates'—several repair crews have successfully completed their drone pilot training and are already utilizing them during emergency recovery work," the head of Zaporizhzhiaoblenergo noted.
The process is ongoing in coordination with the military, established with the assistance of the Zaporizhzhia Regional Military Administration. In parallel, the issue of procuring the necessary equipment is being addressed.
