FORT WAYNE, Ind. – Indiana Michigan Power will conduct aerial inspections of its high-voltage lines using both a helicopter and a drone at separate locations.

Inspections using the helicopter will begin Monday, Dec. 16, and will continue for approximately one week. The drone is scheduled to fly only on Dec. 16. Weather delays could alter flight schedules. These inspections help I&M to ensure the safe and reliable operation of the area’s transmission system.

The helicopters will be used to inspect transmission lines in Northeast Indiana, including the Fort Wayne area, and in East Central Indiana. The lines being inspected are in the following counties:

• Adams
• Allen
• Jay
• Noble
• Steuben
• Whitley

I&M’s contractor will conduct the inspections from helicopters. The aircraft will fly about 50-100 feet above the lines at a speed of 40-45 mph, covering about 350 miles each day. During inspections, helicopters may need to circle a single structure or area several times to check the condition of electrical equipment.

The drone will be used in Fort Wayne only. A licensed operator pilots the drone, assisted by a camera operator/inspector on the ground. Inspection teams follow FAA rules that require the pilot to maintain line of sight to the drone at all times. The inspection team will travel along the rights-of-way to access the transmission lines. The aerial drone will follow transmission lines for extended periods of time to capture high-resolution images of I&M equipment for assessment of structures and line conditions.

Customers with questions or concerns about aerial inspections should contact I&M at 800-311-4634.

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Indiana Michigan Power (I&M) is headquartered in Fort Wayne, and its 2,370 employees serve more than 597,000 customers. More than half of its generation is emission-free, including 2,278 MW of nuclear generation in Michigan, 450 MW of purchased wind generation from Indiana, 22 MW of hydro generation in both states and approximately 15 MW of large-scale solar generation in both states. The company’s generation portfolio also includes 2,600 MW of coal-fueled generation in Indiana.

American Electric Power, based in Columbus, Ohio, is focused on building a smarter energy infrastructure and delivering new technologies and custom energy solutions to our customers. AEP’s more than 17,000 employees operate and maintain the nation’s largest electricity transmission system and more than 219,000 miles of distribution lines to efficiently deliver safe, reliable power to nearly 5.4 million regulated customers in 11 states. AEP also is one of the nation’s largest electricity producers with approximately 32,000 megawatts of diverse generating capacity, including 4,300 megawatts of renewable energy. AEP’s family of companies includes utilities AEP Ohio, AEP Texas, Appalachian Power (in Virginia and West Virginia), AEP Appalachian Power (in Tennessee), Indiana Michigan Power, Kentucky Power, Public Service Company of Oklahoma, and Southwestern Electric Power Company (in Arkansas, Louisiana and east Texas). AEP also owns AEP Energy, AEP Energy Partners, AEP OnSite Partners and AEP Renewables, which provide innovative competitive energy solutions nationwide.