FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE 

America's utilities face increasing challenges managing wildfire risks, vegetation, aging infrastructure, and the soaring costs of traditional inspections. Helicopters remain costly and risky, while ground crews are slow and limited. With millions of miles of power lines to protect, the demand for a scalable and safer solution has never been more urgent. 

Today, Censys Technologies Corporation, a pioneer in Beyond Visual Line of Sight (BVLOS) drone systems, which proudly designs and manufactures its aircraft in the United States, and STRIXDRONES USA Inc., the maker of field-proven, military-grade autonomous docking stations, announced a strategic partnership designed to change the way the power grid is monitored. 

A First-of-Its-Kind Solution 

At the heart of the collaboration is the Sentaero 6, a VTOL unmanned aerial system purpose-built for BVLOS missions, paired with the Strix Dock, a military-grade autonomous docking station. Together, they create a complete, always-ready inspection network capable of launching, recovering, processing and transmitting data, and recharging missions without human crews on site. 

The Strix Dock is engineered to withstand extreme heat, snow, and high winds with minimal maintenance. Combined with the long-range capabilities of the Sentaero 6, utilities gain a dependable inspection solution that can operate continuously in the harshest conditions. 

This system allows utilities to conduct high-frequency, long-range inspections at scale for the first time. It enables earlier threat detection, reduces wildfire risks, improves uptime, and lowers costs compared to helicopters and manual methods. 

Impact at Grid Scale 

The U.S. power grid stretches across millions of miles of transmission and distribution lines. With this partnership, inspections that once required fleets of helicopters and large crews can now be handled by autonomous BVLOS drone networks permanently positioned across vulnerable regions. This represents not just a new tool but a new operating model for infrastructure monitoring. 

 “At Censys, our mission is to enrich lives through asset intelligence technology,” said John Lobdell, CTO and Co-Founder of Censys Technologies. “The launch of Sentaero 6 and EdgeDock marks a transformative step toward realizing that mission—empowering truly remote autonomous operations that deliver meaningful insights at scale.” 

A Bold Partnership Strategy 

Instead of developing docking stations in-house, Censys chose to align with STRIXDRONES, the leading provider of autonomous docking solutions. The result is a system that combines advanced UAS expertise with rugged docking technology, setting a new standard for BVLOS operations. 

"We are proud to partner with Censys Technologies to unlock the full potential of critical infrastructure inspection programs," said Justin Steinke, CEO of STRIXDRONES USA Inc. "By combining the proven strengths of both companies and with the support of emerging BVLOS regulations, we are delivering a transformative capability for the utility sector. This collaboration will extend the operational reach of drone technology, drive long-term ROI, and improve reliability and uptime across millions of miles of the power grid." 

Looking Ahead 

The first deployments of the Sentaero 6 + Strix Dock solution are slated for early 2026, with leading utilities like AEP Texas already conducting successful flights and its parent company, American Electric Power, committed to expanding use of the technology. This adoption signals more than early interest; it represents a decisive shift in how America safeguards its infrastructure, moving from reactive inspections to proactive, autonomous resilience at scale.