POWERGRAMS

16 tower 12 statute miles SE of Lake Drummond. What's the highest you're allowed to fly under Part 107 (as long as you operate within 400 ft. of the tower at all times)?" A 40-question, 80-minute test must be taken every two years to renew the drone pilot's license. "I'm in my 60s. Taking the test really made me nervous," said Wayne Hodges, a Power Delivery specialist at the General Services Complex in Calera. But he has passed it — twice. "Flying the aircraft itself was not difficult to learn, but (it was) learning a lot about the different airspaces that are out there you may have to fly in; and who to contact to receive permission to fly," Whisenant said. "Being new to these subjects made it difficult in the beginning of my studies," said Danielle Hall, a Transmission line engineer at the Birmingham Transmission Maintenance Center. "But I had good study guides and made sure to allow myself time to get familiar with the material." Hall has the distinction of being the first and only female drone pilot in Southern Company. "I thought it would be an opportunity to strengthen my career, making me unique and adding value to my group in the TMC," Hall said. She has performed several drone inspections of transmission lines and switches and, like Hawthorne and Whisenant, sees great value in using drones. "Sometimes it's hard to see our hardware and equipment on the poles, so using the drone makes it super easy to get a closeup and allows for us to more efficiently Southern Company UAS pilots receive field training. At right, Grace Elliot and Andre Tran practice flight procedures. PHOTOS by JAY PARKER

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