Service continuity
An intrusion near power equipment may require investigation, protective action, or repairs. Early awareness gives teams more context when assessing potential disruption to customers.
Utility Companies / Aegis AirWatch
Earlier drone awareness. Better decisions for the grid.
Help protect substations, distribution sites, and the people who keep power flowing. Aegis brings multiple detection layers and camera verification together so your team can assess activity sooner and respond with better information.
Why utilities need airspace awareness
The perimeter does not end at the fence.
CISA identifies hostile surveillance, disruption, and weaponization among potential drone threats. For utilities, this makes activity above exposed equipment and remote facilities an important part of physical security planning. Read CISA’s threat guidance.
People and remote assets
Unstaffed substations and dispersed distribution sites make direct observation difficult. Crews need timely, credible information about activity near their work areas.
Legitimate flights
Utilities also use drones for inspections. A sighting is not automatically a threat: compare activity with approved work, verify observations, and investigate unexplained behavior.
Multiple layers. A clearer operating picture.
Aegis designs the sensor mix around your site. Correlating independent observations helps operators evaluate an alert, understand gaps, and prioritize follow-up. Coverage and warning time depend on the installed equipment and conditions.
01 / Remote ID
Recognize broadcast aircraft information
Receive available identification and position data. Compare those details with scheduled utility and contractor flights to help establish context.
A missing broadcast does not prove hostile intent. Remote ID alone cannot account for every aircraft.
02 / RF sensing
Add evidence from radio activity
Supported sensors detect recognizable drone-control signals and contribute another source of information for track correlation.
Coverage depends on supported signals and the local RF environment; radio-silent flights may be missed.
03 / Radar
Track objects without a broadcast
An appropriately selected radar adds physical tracking, including potential detection of aircraft that do not transmit Remote ID or recognizable control signals.
Terrain, structures, clutter, and target size affect performance. A radar return alone does not identify intent.
04 / EO / PTZ cameras
Verify with visual context
Compatible camera integrations can cue a pan-tilt-zoom camera toward a track, helping operators inspect the aircraft and record what is visible.
Line of sight, distance, lighting, and weather determine whether useful visual confirmation is possible.
Remote ID supplies broadcast information, not proof of authorization. See the FAA’s Remote ID overview. Explore Aegis drone detection.
Turn an alert into a coordinated response.
Define alert zones around priority assets and agree on escalation criteria before an incident. A monitoring zone is an operational alert boundary; it does not create an airspace restriction.
01
Assess
Review location, direction, dwell time, available identity, and supporting sensor evidence. Check scheduled inspection flights before classifying the event.
02
Protect
Notify the designated security and control-room contacts. Follow established site procedures to protect personnel or pause exposed work when warranted; operational decisions remain with the utility.
03
Coordinate
Share verified observations and incident details with the appropriate responders under the utility’s escalation plan. Keep uncertainty visible as the situation develops.
04
Preserve
Retain available tracks, timestamps, imagery, and operator notes under the utility’s access and retention policies. Review recurring activity to improve coverage and response.
Detection supports decisions. It does not authorize interdiction.
Aegis focuses on awareness, verification, and incident evidence. Jamming, taking control of, or disabling an aircraft requires specific legal authority. Review the selected detection methods and response plan with counsel and authorized partners. The FAA’s interagency advisory explains why legal and technical review matters.
Built around your operation
Start with the sites that matter most.
Consider fixed coverage at priority substations and mobile deployments for temporary work, restoration staging, or changing security needs. Solar power and cellular connectivity can support remote deployment where the system’s power budget and network coverage allow.
A practical site assessment
- Review asset priorities, terrain, sight lines, and existing cameras.
- Assess RF conditions, sensor placement, power, and communications.
- Agree on authorized-flight coordination, alert routing, and evidence access.
- Validate detection coverage, nuisance alerts, and response procedures through a site pilot.
EPRI’s substation research includes evaluating drone detection performance in simulated and real-world environments. See EPRI’s research overview.
Give your team an earlier, clearer view.
Talk with Aegis about drone awareness for your substations, distribution sites, and utility operations.
Plan a Utility Site Assessment