Reclamation to conduct drone flights at Grand Coulee Dam

 

Last updated 6/6/2018 at 10:05am

Water spills over two drum gates on Grand Coulee Dam Monday. Reclamation expects to have to spill water in June as spring runoff continues to fill the lake. In preparation for a big spring runoff, the bureau drew down Lake Roosevelt to 1,222.7 feet above sea level at the beginning of May, about 67 feet below full. It had risen about 52 feet from that low as of Tuesday. - Scott Hunter photo

If you see some unidentified flying objects near the Grand Coulee Dam, don't be alarmed! It most likely isn't aliens studying hydroelectric power, but rather "drones" capturing aerial footage of the dam.

The Bureau of Reclamation detailed the flights in a June 4 press release, saying the purpose is to "photograph and obtain video footage of the structure while water is spilling over the drum gates during the month of June."

The new footage will show infrastructure improvements made over recent years.

"Reclamation's Unmanned Aircraft System team consists of Federal Aviation Administration and Department of the Interior-certified pilots," the press release stated. "The team will operate a small black quadcopter primarily on federal lands but may fly over adjacent private lands such as the Town of Coulee Dam, Grand Coulee, and Electric City."

"Reclamation has obtained the required authorization from the Federal Aviation Administration and Department of the Interior, which allows the flights to occur within the No-Fly Zone surrounding the dam," the press release continues. "Strong safety requirements and practices will be observed, including not flying over people."

 

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