What is Utility Asset Management? 2026 Best Practices & Trends
Aging infrastructure, data silos, and reactive maintenance are quietly eroding the reliability of the power grid. Modern utilities can’t afford to manage assets by guesswork. This guide explores how complete asset registers, GIS mapping, predictive analytics, and IoT monitoring are redefining utility asset management—turning raw inspection data into actionable intelligence that extends asset life, cuts maintenance costs, and prevents outages before they happen.
Drone Utility Inspection Uncovers High-Risk Decay of 96 Aging Wooden Structures
For over a decade, a regional utility struggled to fund the replacement of two aging wooden transmission lines. Traditional reports failed to convince decision-makers until DetectOS conducted a one-day UAV inspection of 96 structures. AI analysis revealed critical issues like rotten poles and corroded hardware, leading to a multi-million-dollar rebuild approval in just 10 minutes.
Early-Life HVDC Transmission Line Inspection Prevents $1M+ Outage
A North American utility underestimated early-life risks for its HVDC renewable transmission line. An AI-powered drone inspection by DetectOS covered 2,600 towers over 250 miles, collecting over 1TB of data. It found 1,270 minor issues and a critical defect — a loose clevis bolt that could have caused a $1M+ outage.