What is it?

PowerAI is an AI-powered platform that helps electric utilities unlock the full value of inspection data, increasingly captured by aerial drones. It automatically maps and analyzes visual data from power infrastructure using proprietary computer vision models to detect asset types and identify issues like damaged insulators, corrosion, vegetation encroachment, equipment defects, and thermal anomalies at scale. The platform integrates with GIS, asset management, and work order systems, enabling seamless workflows from inspection to action. By automating data management, analysis, and reporting, PowerAI helps utilities prioritize maintenance, improve reliability, scale drone programs, and reduce the time and cost of manual inspection review.

Who is using it?

PowerAI is used primarily by electric utilities and power transmission, distribution, substation and solar operators, as well as organizations managing large energy infrastructure networks. Common users include inspection program managers, asset managers, grid reliability engineers, vegetation management teams, drone program managers, and operations leaders responsible for maintaining transmission and distribution infrastructure.

How is it making an Impact?

Utilities generate millions of inspection images each year from drones and aerial patrols, creating a major manual review bottleneck. At AEP Texas, which operates over 44,000 miles of distribution lines, PowerAI automates analysis of aerial imagery mapped to individual poles and components. The platform processed 88,000+ images from ~20,000 poles, detecting vegetation encroachment, damaged hardware, structural issues, and equipment defects in wildfire risk zones. AI analyzes images in ~0.6 seconds vs. 1–2 minutes manually, saving over six months of review time and enabling faster inspections, prioritized repairs, improved reliability, and reduced wildfire and severe weather risk.