Cal OES uses drones to inspect state communications towers

The California Governor’s Office of Emergency Services said Oct. 2, 2026 that its Public Safety Communications Office is using drones to inspect and map state communications towers.

Eric Telles, an engineer with the Public Safety Communications Office, said the drones are used to survey antennas and other radio equipment; he said, "We use the drones to do surveys of the towers where we have radio equipment … Antennas on the tower. We use it to survey that equipment to make sure it’s engineered, installed properly."

Telles said drones are safer and more efficient than sending tower‑certified climbers because climbing requires technicians who work in teams and may not be immediately available; "a single engineer with a drone can deploy at any time and you don’t have to worry about anyone falling," he said.

Telles said the drones also help with planning for line‑of‑sight links between towers; he said, "We have ones for doing 3d mapping capabilities of mapping towers. We also have ones for viewing with a telephoto lens for viewing paths. So we have different camera lenses depending on the application. Buildings get constructed, obstructions, trees grow. Eventually you lose line of sight if those things are going to inhibit your path. So a lot of times we’ll look at these things and say this has the potential to be impacted."

Cal OES said every pilot completes a weeklong drone training program followed by FAA testing and then additional safety training with the Public Safety Communications Office; the agency said its fleet includes six drones and ten licensed pilots.

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