SOAR program brings autonomous drone docks to CA and AK

Synopsis

Caltrans and the Alaska Department of Transportation & Public Facilities have combined their SMART-funded drone pilot programs into SOAR, a $12.4M initiative deploying solar-powered Skydio X10 docks for inspections, monitoring, and disaster response.

From remote Alaskan villages to the California border, SOAR enables high-precision, off-grid drone operations that feed real-time GIS and BIM data directly into decision-making. The result is faster, safer, and more informed management of critical infrastructure—supporting daily inspections as well as rapid response during emergencies.