The Sky's the Limit: KC Wastewater Drone Program To Support Sustainable Infrasture. 

Peter Keum, GISP

Drone Program Lead/GIS

November  19, 2025

WTD Drone Program

We Came, We Flew, We Mapped..

Peter Keum, GISP

Drone Program Lead/GIS

November 19, 2025

From Buzz to Business

• Where are We Now:
• • Hardware/Software/Pilots
• Things We've Done and Doing:
  • Integration of Drone with GIS

So Let's Dive in!

King County Wastewater Treatment by Numbers

• 2 million residents

• 34 Agencies

• 424 square miles

• 383 miles sewer pipeline (2.5 inch to 14 ft)

• 74 facilities (PS & RS)

• 3 Treatment Plants: 180 MGD ~ Max. 460 MGD

Seattle, WA --> Medford, OR

WTD GIS Team

• 10 GIS Specialists
• 4 FAA Certified Pilots

Supervisor

KC Wastewater Treatment Drone Program

Building Drone Program

S3E3

NOT

R2D2

Building Drone Program

S3E3

• Easy

• Efficient

• Effective

• Small

• Share

• Structure

WHY?

• Ensure Continous Operation
• Support Capital Delivery & Maintenance

WTD GIS Drone Program

November  2025

• Four  FAA Part 107 Drone Certified Pilots - WTD GIS Specialists (Jim, Patrick, Joe, and Peter)
• Assisting other departments to stand up their own drone programs (WLRD/ SWD/ Local Service/ KCIA/ FMD)

Joe

DJI Mavic 2 Pro (1)

Mavic 2 Ent. Adv. (1)

Mavic 3 Ent (2)

2021

2022

2023

Matrice 4 Ent. (1)

2025

Total: ~ $27,000

• Small

• Share

• Structure

S3

Wish List Hardware :-)

$11,000

All WEather

 RGB Camera

~ $10,500

Lidar Sensor

~ $ 17,500

Standard Drone Workflow

AND

S3

S3

WTD Drone Dashboard

2021

June - Dec.

2023

Number of Flights

2022

2024

2025

Jan. - Oct.

From Buzz to Business

• Quick History
• Where are We Now:
  • Hardware/Software/Pilots
• Things We've Done and Doing:
  • Integration of Drone with GIS

Building Drone Program

• Easy

• Efficient

• Effective

• Small

• Share

• Structure

Why Use Drones?

1. Easy - Simple with little effort

Automatic

Repeatable

Flight Control App  

• Automate Flight Planning - Fly Consistently for overlapping images
• Can fly manually but it's like mowing with scissors

Why Use Drones?

2. Efficient - Results without waste

Safety of staffs & Save Time & $$

South Treatment Plant

Inspecting Inside Digester (2024)

 Brightwater Treatment Plant

Inspecting Inside Digester

2. Efficient - Results without waste

Safety of staffs  & Save Time & $$

West Point
Treatment

Plant

Discovery Park

Blvd

Dec 2024

Why Use Drones?

3. Effective - Producing Results

• Update 2D aerial map

South Treatment Plant

0.57 in/px

Sept 2023

3.0 in/px

2023 KC Aerial

3. Effective - Producing Results

0.50 in/px

June 2025

6x time the resolution

(from KC Aerial Imagery - June 2025)

• Monitoring & Mitigation (ECSS)

Kenmore Twin Springs Mitigation Site

March 2022

April 2024

August  2025

3. Effective - Producing Results

• Construction Site Monitoring

West Point Treatment Plant Power Upgrade Project (2023)

3. Effective - Producing Results

• Construction Site Monitoring

West Point Treatment Plant Power Upgrade Project

3. Effective - Producing Results

Ship Canal Water Quality  - TBM

3. Effective - Producing Results

Heat Resource Recover - Energy District (Dexter Ave)

3. Effective - Producing Results

Examples - Integrating with GIS

South Treatment Plant

Examples - Integrating with GIS

West Point Treatment Plant 3D Model

Examples - Integrating with GIS

Brightwater Treatment Plant

Proof Of Concept

Lidar SLAM Handheld Unit

WHOA!

Just another tool in the toolbox

Famous Original Quote

They Both are RIGHT!

1.1

END

for now

Thank You

peter.keum@kingcounty.gov

peter.keum@kingcounty.gov