If Jefferson County residents begin seeing flying objects in the sky through September, chances are those aren’t UFOs: those are drones from Xcel Energy conducting wildfire mitigation surveillance.

For the past two years, Xcel has used drones, officially named “unmanned aircraft systems,” to help inspect its infrastructure. That includes taking photos and identifying hazards for its poles, lines and wires. Xcel will notify residents who live near the drone inspections by phone.

“In a variety of circumstances, UAS have advantages over trucks, helicopters or fixed-wing aircraft, and they provide improved safety for workers, greater efficiencies and flights that are less intrusive to communities,” the company explained.

The drone program began in 2019 and covers 17 counties west of Denver. The object of the inspections is to replace equipment that poses an increased risk and to analyze the ability of certain structures to withstand high wind speeds. Xcel reports that it received a waiver from the Federal Aviation Administration to operate its drones outside the requirement that they fly within the operator’s eyesight and no greater than 200 feet above the ground.

As of Monday, the U.S. Forest Service noted there were three large fire incidents in southern and western Colorado.