WTD Drone Program

We Came, We Flew, We Mapped..

Peter Keum, GISP

Drone Program Lead/GIS Analyst

June 9, 2026

From Buzz to Business

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

383

2,000,000

(2 Million)

15,000

178,000,000

(178 Million)

Guess??

383 Miles

of Pipe

2,000,000 (2 Million) People

15,000 Trucks

178,000,000 (178 Million) MGD (Million Gallons/Day)

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

Brightwater TP

WTD GIS Team

  • 10 GIS Specialists

  • 4 FAA Certified Pilots

  • 3 Studying to be Certified

  • Two Interns

    • ​Olivia

    • Max

Supervisor

WTD GIS

Maintain Sewer GIS Data

  • FIRS (Facility Information Retrieval System) Data
    • Maintenance Hole
    • Pipes
    • Pump Stations
    • Regulator Stations
    • Treatment Plants
    • Outfalls
  • Flow Monitors
  • CP Stations
  • Connection Points
  • Site Plan Data
  • 3D Models
  • Drone Collected Data
  • .... many many more

WTD

GIS

DATA

GIS Data:
The core of a GIS is its Database

BUT.....There are 17 county agencies support

King County GIS Data Library System

WTD

GIS Data:
The core of a GIS is its Database

So Let's Dive in!

RPAS - Remotely Piloted Aircraft System

FAA Definition: Unmanned Aircraft (UA) system that is operated by a pilot via ground control or on-board computer. 

RPAS Categories

Small  

  • Size: 1 - 2 meters ( 3 ft - 6.5 ft), < 55 lbs.
  • Control: Visual line of sight, Radio control
  • DJI M3E, M400,  ScanEagle

Medium

  • Size: Equivalent to a car, ~ 1000 lbs.

Large 

  • Size: > 30,000 lbs.

RPAS as Platform

Multi-rotors

Fixed-wing & VTOL

  • Shorter flight time (< 45 min)
  • Cover smaller area
  • Highly maneuverable
  • Less expensive
  • Access to confined spaces
  • Long flight time (+ 40min)
  • Covers very large area

(vertical take-off & land)

 Sensors Payload

Multi-spectral 

Thermal Infrared

Lidar Camera

High resolution digital camera (100 MP)

Lidar Camera

Lidar Camera

Methane Gas Dector

1. Aircraft + Sensor    (Data Collection)

2. Data Processing & Analyzing (GIS)

 3. Information Products

=

+

1. Platform + Sensor (Data Collection)

2. Data Processing & Analyzing (GIS)

3. Information Products

Standard Drone Workflow

Drone

GIS

Great Combo?

&

Great combo !

GIS & DRONE

FAA Regulations - Where are we now?

Regulations

Commercial/Governmental

FAA Part 107 Rule, July 2016

  • Need FAA Remote Pilot Certification (Pilot license NOT needed)

  • ~460,375 - Remote pilots certified (Oct. 2025)

  • 433,407 - Commercial Drones Registered (Oct. 2025)

  • $175 to take the test

  • Fly under 400 feet above ground level

  • Not to fly < 5 nautical miles around airport

  • Aircraft < 55 lbs.

  • Fly during daytime or night time operation with appropriate lighting

  • Fly visual line of sight ( VLOS)

  • No flight over non-participating people

  • ...and many, many more.....

FAA Part 107 Rule

FAA Part 107 Drone Certification

  • Be at least 16 yrs old

  • Pass the initial aeronautical knowledge exam

  • Online recurring training every 24 month 

The Recreational UAS Safety Test (TRUST)

  • Understand recreational flying requirements

  • Take TRUST

  • Online recurring training every 24 month 

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

Current Hardware

DJI Mavic 2 Pro < $1,800 (Retired)

DJI Mavic 2 Pro Ent. Adv $6,500

DJI Avata $1,300

Mavic 3 Ent (2x)

 $3,800

20 MP/ 56x zoom

20 MP

12 MP/ 32x zoom

+ Thermal

Matrice 4 Ent

~ $5,300

Latest Hardware

$11,000

All WEather

L3 - lidar

~ $ 18,000

H30T - Thermal

~ $ 12,000

KC Wastewater Treatment Drone Program

People

+

Technology

+

Organization

=

Drone Program

WTD GIS Drone Program

Building Drone Program

E3     S3 

  • Small

  • Share

  • Structure

  • Easy

  • Efficient

  • Effective

HOW?

WHY?

Why Use Drones?

1. Easy - Simple with little effort

Automatic

Repeatable

E3

1. Easy - Simple with little effort

Automatic Repeatable

Brightwater TP - Aeriation Basin Opt. Construction

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

E3

Data Processing - Efficient  

  • Cloud Storage & Cloud Data Processing
  • Flight Planning from Desktop - fly on Mobile (controller)
  • Cloud storage/Cloud Processing 
  • Centralized System
  • Project Deliverables

2. Efficient - Results without waste

Safety of staffs  & Save Time & $$

West Point
Treatment

Plant

Discovery Park

Blvd

Dec 2024

E3

Why Use Drones?

3. Effective - Producing Results

E3

0.50 in/px

June 2025

6x time the resolution

(from KC Aerial Imagery - June 2025)

  • Environmental Monitoring

Examples - Effective

Kenmore Twin Springs Mitigation Site

August 2022

March 2022

April 2023

  • Construction Site Monitoring

West Point Treatment Plant Power Upgrade Project (2023)

3. Effective - Producing Results

E3

  • Construction Site Monitoring

Examples - Effective

West Point Treatment Plant Raw Sewage Pump Building

Ship Canal Water Quality  - TBM

3. Effective - Producing Results

E3

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

Examples - Effective

South Treatment Plant

  • 1172 Photos
  • 0.57in/px

0.50 in/px

June 2025

6x time the resolution

(from KC Aerial Imagery - June 2025)

3. Effective - Producing Results

Sep 2023

Oct 2024

June 2025

South Treatment Plant

Compost LOOP

pilot-project

  • 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 (2023)

3. Effective - Producing Results

Ship Canal Water Quality  - TBM

3. Effective - Producing Results

Helping KC Parks

Helping KC Parks

Building Drone Program

E3S3 

  • Small

  • Share

  • Structure

WHY

  • Easy

  • Efficient

  • Effective

HOW

WHY?

  • Ensure Continous Operation
  • Support Capital Delivery & Maintenance

DJI Mavic 2 Pro (1)

Mavic 2 Ent. Adv. (1)

Mavic 3 Ent (2)

2021

2022

2023

Matrice 4 Ent. (1)

2025

Total: < $22,000

  • Small

  • Share

  • Structure

S3:  Small

 $1,800 (Retired)

 $6,500

 $3,800

 $5,300/

 $8,500

Latest Hardware

$11,000

All WEather

 RGB Camera

~ $10,500

Lidar Sensor

~ $ 17,500

S3:   Share 

WTD Examples: 2D Aerial 
Brightwater Treatment Plant - Construction Aeriation Building

Examples - Integrating with GIS

South Treatment Plant

Examples - Integrating with GIS

West Point Treatment Plant 3D Model

Examples - Integrating with GIS

Brightwater Treatment Plant

S3:   Structure

Check List

Workflow Development

WTD Drone Dashboard

KC Wastewater Treatment Drone Program

People

+

Technology

+

Organization

=

Drone Program

Proof Of Concept

Lidar SLAM (Simultenous Localization and Mapping)  Handheld Unit

Proof Of Concept

Lidar SLAM Handheld Unit

Examples

Proof Of Concept (new)

(Lidar data + Camera photo ) x Gaussian Splatting = below

WHOA!

Just another tool in the toolbox

Famous Original Quote

They Both are RIGHT!

peter.keum@kingcounty.gov