Murphy Tower Service sponsors drone exhibition for cell tower maintenance

Valmont shows how drones can improve America's aging infrastructure

A study in the skies to show what the future may hold for America's aging infrastructure.

Valmont partnered with NATE UAS Operations to test how technology could be used to bring things like cell towers into the 21st century.

It could one day be a drone — not a person — inspecting them. Now, people can stay on the ground, while doing the same work.

"A lot of people don't realize how we're bringing new technologies to bear in the field. And so what you're seeing today is ... the newest and the latest in drone technology, that's going to work on inspection of our products," Aaron Schapper, group president for infrastructure at Valmont.

Schapper said drones have a lot of practical use in making sure our nation's infrastructure runs smoothly.

"If you have hurricanes, if you have typhoons, if you have tornadoes that come through, no matter where you're on the globe, that Valmont can come in, and we manufacture this product, we engineer this product, we're also in a very good situation to say how the product is doing after these big events," Schapper said.

Trevor Mecham, who also works at Valmont, said that as the U.S. infrastructure ages, it's important to know how to make sure it's working.

https://www.ketv.com/article/nebraska-valmont-drone-technology-america-aging-infrastructure/40457510