An Xcel Energy drone. Credit:CBS

Xcel Energy recently tested cutting-edge drone technology in Colorado with the goal of speeding up restoration times when lines may have been deactivated because of fire danger.

The technology which is designed for customers in the high country can power up a drone and use it to inspect the lines to determine whether it’s safe to turn them back on.

A project manager for Xcel Energy revealed to newsmen that the new technology enables them to eliminate the mobilization time of getting a lineman or a truck up to the site and allows for immediate inspection as soon as a notification of an outage is received.

Xcel said the drones would allow crews to restore power 10 to 20 times more quickly than they otherwise would be able to.