Jorge Valdez and Tyler Regan, Diamondback Energy
Bryan Hill, Lythix
As electrical infrastructure continues to expand across field operations, proactive identification and mitigation of reliability risks have become critical to maintaining production uptime and reducing unplanned outages. This presentation will discuss the development and implementation of an Overhead Power Line Drone Survey Reliability Program designed to systematically evaluate overhead distribution assets and identify emerging reliability concerns before they result in operational impacts. The program utilizes a risk-based inspection strategy that prioritizes drone surveys on the highest-producing batteries, newly commissioned facilities, and existing assets requiring retroactive assessment. Attendees will gain insight into the survey methodology, including data acquisition, inspection standards, severity classification criteria, imagery processing workflows, and final engineering deliverables used to support corrective action planning. The presentation will also highlight real-world reliability improvement projects where drone survey findings directly enabled corrective measures that reduced electrical risk and improved system performance. Case studies will compare key reliability metrics before and after remediation efforts, demonstrating the value of proactive inspections in preventing equipment failures and production disruptions. Finally, lessons learned from program implementation will be discussed, along with the future inspection strategy and the integration of drone-based assessments into broader reliability and maintenance programs. Particular focus will be given to balancing proactive reliability initiatives with existing maintenance activities to optimize resources, reduce redundant inspections, and create a sustainable, data-driven approach to electrical asset management.