Today’s utility leaders face growing pressure to reduce emissions while maintaining safe, efficient operations. Many are realizing that incremental changes to traditional leak detection programs aren’t enough to meet today’s expectations for transparency and performance. A growing number are turning to aerial methane detection as a more effective path forward.
Unsure where to even start? Industry veteran Ed Newton (formerly of SoCalGas) outlined a practical, step-by-step framework for building an aerial leak survey program in our recent webinar, How to Integrate Aerial Leak Detection into Your Methane Reduction and Leak Survey Programs.
His key takeaways are summarized below.
Benefits of Aerial Methane Detection for Utilities
Before we get into the steps for implementing aerial leak survey technology, let’s review the motivations most often driving the move. Utilities across the country are facing familiar obstacles when it comes to methane management:
- Limited ground access to remote or hazardous sites
- High false-positive rates from ground-based systems that waste maintenance time
- Aging distribution infrastructure with legacy pipelines prone to leaks
- Difficulty pinpointing exact sources for effective repair prioritization
- Rising expectations from regulators, investors, and the public for transparent, scientific reporting
Aerial methane detection helps operators directly address each of these challenges.
By surveying for emissions from the air, utilities can safely access remote or difficult terrain and cover large areas efficiently. Highly accurate detection reduces false positives, freeing up crews for genuine repairs. Precise leak localization (often within about 2 meters) enables faster, targeted responses, while quantified, geo-referenced data supports both operational decisions and credible public reporting. Together, these capabilities give utilities full-network visibility and actionable insight, all from a safe, efficient vantage point.
With those challenges and advantages in mind, let’s look at the structured approach Newton outlined for building a successful aerial leak survey program.
Step 1: Define Your Top Priorities
Every successful program starts with a clear vision.
Consider your top goal. Is it regulatory compliance, operational efficiency, or system-wide emissions reduction? Establishing that priority up front (as well as those that fall right below it) will help you determine the right detection technology, flight cadence, and data management process.
Newton also noted that defining measurable success criteria at this stage (like detection probability, coverage area, and response time) keeps the program focused and accountable to the right results.
Step 2: Choose the Right Team
Before you launch flights or process data, start by identifying a few internal champions who can help integrate aerial detection into your current leak survey process. These might include team members from gas engineering, compliance,, or field operations—whoever understands the current system and can flag opportunities to streamline or improve it.
It doesn’t have to be a large task force. Even one or two people can provide critical insight to help ensure that aerial insights are routed into existing repair systems, shared with compliance stakeholders, and visible to decision-makers across the org.
Step 3: Choose a Solution That Sets You Up for Success
Technology choice is critical, and the right partner does more than measure methane. It delivers validated, auditable results you can trust.
When evaluating solutions, consider the following:
- Validation history: Has the system been independently tested and peer-reviewed?
- Detection performance: What is the demonstrated probability of detection and localization accuracy?
- Quantified data output: Does the system provide emission rate, coordinates, and time-stamped imagery for each source?
- Workflow integration: Can data be easily imported into your GIS, maintenance, and compliance systems?
- Scalability and support: Will the provider help refine flight protocols and data use during rollout?
You should expect to explore options that have been vigorously tested. Bridger Photonics’ Gas Mapping LiDAR™, for example, has been extensively validated, with over 11 million distinct emissions events measured and proven accuracy within about 2 meters. A solution with that level of validation helps utilities build programs with confidence from day one.
Step 4: Validate and Fine-Tune in the Field
Once you’ve chosen a solution, build confidence in its performance with controlled testing and small-scale field application.
Start with a simple R&D phase, using controlled methane releases to confirm detection accuracy and area coverage. From there, move into limited field pilots to test real-world workflows, refine flight protocols, and identify any operational adjustments needed to scale.
This two-part process doesn’t have to be large or resource-intensive. Even small utilities can validate aerial detection performance with minimal lift, especially when supported by an experienced provider who can tailor the rollout to your system’s needs.
Step 5: Verify Processes and Measure Success
The final R&D phase focuses on process refinement and verification. Here, utilities confirm the system’s repeatability, integrate fully with existing operations, and measure the true return on investment.
For SoCalGas, that verification demonstrated remarkable outcomes:
- 25% increase in hazardous leaks detected compared to traditional surveys
- Significant system emissions reductions: roughly one billion cubic feet of natural gas abated over 2.5 years
By targeting leak-prone pipelines and refining business processes, the aerial program became a cornerstone of operational efficiency and emissions performance.
The Path Forward
Utilities that build a modern aerial leak survey program create a long-term strategy that advances safety, efficiency, and compliance together. Aerial detection data supports today’s emissions goals while also laying the groundwork for automation and predictive maintenance down the road. Utilities that follow these steps are setting new benchmarks for transparency and operational excellence across the industry.
For a deeper look at how these steps come together in practice, watch the full webinar replay: How to Integrate Aerial Leak Detection into Your Methane Reduction and Leak Survey Programs.