Tecnam
Tennessee Valley Authority Uses Tecnam P2012 SMP to Survey Power Grid
A television news report highlighted how the Tennessee Valley Authority uses a specialized twin-engine aircraft to inspect transmission lines.
According to a broadcast by WKRN News 2 Nashville on October 14, the utility operates a Tecnam P2012 Special Mission Platform to oversee more than 16,000 miles of transmission lines. The aircraft serves as an eye in the sky, performing maintenance checks faster, safer, and at a lower cost than previous methods. The program was fully implemented in 2025 following five years of research.
Equipped with a LiDAR laser scanner and four cameras, the twin-engine platform maps more than three acres of land every second while photographing every mile of the network. This setup allows transmission foresters to identify vegetation threats and dispatch work crews directly to the precise coordinates. A two-pilot crew typically covers around 450 miles each day, compared to five miles for a ground crew. The annual vegetation management cycle covers over 5,000 miles of lines to supply electricity to 10 million people across parts of seven southeastern states.
Operating economics heavily favor the fixed-wing approach. TVA Aviation Manager Phil Kanagy noted that while helicopters remain valuable for accessing tight spaces, their operating expenses run 75% higher than the airplane. Flying at higher altitudes also improves crew safety. TVA surveyor Robert Byrd noted that airborne LiDAR replaced decades of strenuous on-foot field work involving adverse weather and wildlife hazards. Transmission Forester Matthew Townsend added that tasks requiring months of manual effort now take between 15 and 20 minutes, eliminating potential heat stress and snake bites.
Francesco Sferra, Tecnam P2012 Special Mission Platforms Sales and Business Development Manager, stated that special mission operators prioritize data quality per dollar, commending how TVA turned the platform into community savings. The aircraft features twin Lycoming TEO-540-C1A piston engines featuring electronic engine control, consuming approximately 31 US gallons of fuel per hour. Its design includes two ventral hatches and robust electrical power to support multi-camera and LiDAR equipment at low and medium survey altitudes, while twin-engine redundancy ensures safety over mountainous and forested regions.
Sources: Tecnam