Skydio has recognized Ohio Power Company’s drone program with a 2026 Aerial Achievement Award. The American manufacturer — and Ohio Power’s primary drone supplier — presents these awards annually to celebrate and highlight innovation and excellence in drone operations.
The awards recognize outstanding drone programs and mission impact across sectors, including utilities, public safety agencies and defense organizations. This year, the company presented awards in five categories: Best New Program, Lifesaving Achievement, Program Excellence, Innovation and Social Impact.
Ohio Power earned the innovation award for transforming electric infrastructure inspections through advanced drone operations that improve safety, accelerate asset assessments and help find potential reliability issues before they affect customers.
So far this year, Ohio Power has flown drones 11,800 times, covering more than 16,000 miles and inspecting 392 miles of electric infrastructure. These flights help crews address issues faster while reducing exposure to field hazards.
“This was the most competitive year yet, and Ohio Power’s program stood out as a clear example of leadership, impact and real-world results worth celebrating,” Daisy Morris with Skydio said.
“Our focus is always on improving reliability and providing safe, dependable service for our customers,” Ohio Power Project Manager Principal Jake Reed said. “Drone technology allows our teams to work more efficiently, identify potential issues earlier and gain valuable insights that help us maintain a reliable electric system.”
The awards ceremony was part of Skydio Ascend, the company’s annual user conference, held Sept. 23 in Las Vegas. Members of Ohio Power’s drone team accepted the award.
The recognition follows another successful year for Ohio Power’s drone program. Skydio presented our operating company with an award for program excellence in 2025, showing our program’s continued growth and impact.
Skydio’s Aerial Achievement Awards recognize organizations that are advancing the use of drones to solve real-world challenges, improve safety and deliver meaningful results for the communities they serve.
Visit skydio.com/awards to learn more about the Aerial Achievement Awards.
