How Jole Contracting Streamlined Utility Drone Inspections in Colorado

Overview

Jole Contracting, a drone operator based in Colorado, specializes in utility drone inspections for power lines and grid infrastructure. As one of Hepta’s U.S. customers, Jole Contracting exemplifies how drone service providers can streamline inspection workflows and deliver professional, actionable results, even without utilizing AI-based tools.

By adopting Hepta’s utility inspection software, Jole Contracting simplified the way it handled drone-captured data, enabling faster and more organized reporting for line crews in the field.

 

Utility drone inspection

Surveying grid infrastructure with drone technology

The Challenge: Managing Power Line Drone Inspection Data

Before switching to Hepta, Jole Contracting relied on manual data entry and spreadsheets to document structure numbers, photos, and inspection notes from drone inspections. The workflow was inefficient, complex to scale, and prone to disorganization.

“It would take me hours just to organize a single job. Managing drone photos and utility pole data manually became unsustainable.”

They briefly tested another online tool, but it lacked key functionality, particularly the ability to export filtered results to field crews. With growing demand, Jole Contracting needed a more structured approach to manage power line inspection data and communicate issues to utilities more effectively.

 

Vegetation management with Hepta Insights software

Vegetation encroachment: Branches within 1 meter of the line

The Solution: Structured Drone Inspection Workflows with Hepta

Jole Contracting chose Hepta’s grid inspection platform for its ease of use, responsive support, and ability to turn drone data into actionable results.

Key reasons for choosing Hepta Insights:

  • A platform designed to support scalable grid inspection workflows, including utility drone inspections
  • Easy filtering, organizing, and exporting of inspection findings
  • Excellent technical support, including real-time help during onboarding
  • Ability to manage multiple client projects from a single interface

“With Hepta, organizing, filtering, and exporting my data just takes minutes and is super easy.”

Although Hepta offers advanced features like LiDAR integration and AI analysis, Jole Contracting focused solely on core functionality, including photo organization, defect tagging, and reporting for power line inspections.

 

Utility drone inspection

Rotten pole identified during drone inspection. In larger networks, similar issues are often tagged with severity levels to guide prioritization. Read about severity levels HERE.

Implementation: Supporting Drone Operators with Real-Time Help

Before starting their first official job, Jole Contracting used Hepta Insights during the trial phase of their business. During setup, Hepta’s team assisted with:

  • CSV import troubleshooting: fixing coordinate plotting issues quickly
  • Custom defect labeling: allowing Jole Contracting to sort drone images using personalized categories
  • User access streamlining: managing all clients under one user account

“Every time I had an issue, I contacted support, and they responded fast, with real solutions. That made a big difference.”

The onboarding process was fast, intuitive, and required minimal training, a key benefit for drone operators transitioning from manual methods.

Results: Professional Power Line Inspection Reporting at Scale

Using Hepta’s platform, Jole Contracting improved operational efficiency and inspection quality without adding extra headcount or complexity.

Benefits:

  • Faster analysis: hours of manual sorting reduced to minutes
  • Improved deliverables: field-ready reports with photo evidence and GPS-linked defect listings
  • Client satisfaction: utility customers appreciated the clear, organized presentation of inspection results
  • Scalability: able to manage multiple inspection projects with consistent quality

“My client told me how much they liked using the Hepta Insights platform; they got what they needed, fast.”

For a growing drone inspection business, this added professionalism and structure translated directly into stronger client relationships and new business potential.

 

power line inspection

A chipped insulator was detected on a utility pole

Conclusion: What Drone Operators Can Learn from Jole Contracting

This case illustrates how drone operators can transition from using spreadsheets and folders to a streamlined, centralized inspection platform, even without deploying AI or expensive tools like LiDAR.

Hepta helped Jole Contracting:

  • Deliver high-quality utility drone inspection services
  • Organize and export data clearly to field crews
  • Scale operations with minimal overhead
  • Stand out in a competitive drone inspection market
Vegetation management with Hepta Insights software
“Before Hepta, everything was manual and messy. Now, with just a few clicks, I can deliver polished, usable insights to line crews. The support team goes above and beyond, that’s rare.” Trenton Jole, CEO of Jole Contracting

Interested in streamlining your utility drone inspections like Jole Contracting?
Get in touch to see how Hepta can help you deliver faster, more structured results to your clients.

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