Drones are becoming more popular. Hobbyists use them to get a different look at their neighborhood and farmers are using drones to check their fields for trouble spots. And now Ameren Illinois is making use of these high–flying cameras to look down on power lines in order to quickly determine where a break is. On Monday, September 18th, 2017, Ameren's Kyle Maxwell demonstrated one of the company's drones at the Cambria power sub–station. Maxwell said drones can cut down on the time it takes to get lineman to a break, which is critical after severe weather causes power outages. He added that with the rapidly changing technology, in the future it might be possible to use specially–modified drones to detect gas leaks from the air. Currently Ameren has 36 drones operating in Illinois with 18 workers certified and trained to fly them. The training is a unique partnership with SIU. Mike Robertson, Associate Professor in Aviation Management and Flight, says the Ameren Operators receive the required certification from his department. SIU's training stresses safety such as staying at least five nautical miles away from an airport.
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