The New York State Department of Transportation (NYSDOT) is using advanced drone technology to aid in spotting commercial vehicle equipment issues during Operation Safe Driver Week.

On July 15, NYSDOT announced the agency’s participation in the Operation Safe Driver Week blitz alongside the Commercial Vehicle Safety Alliance and other law enforcement partners.

As part of the Operation Safe Driver Week activities, NYSDOT highlighted the use of drone technology to spot commercial vehicle equipment problems.

“As seen in these images, inspectors are using the latest in thermal drone technology to spot unsafe equipment like faulty brakes and flat tires before they become real hazards,” officials said in a social media post.

NYSDOT shared a thermal image of a semi truck in motion as well as other images from the Operation Safe Driver Week enforcement detail.

Operation Safe Driver Week is a targeted commercial and passenger vehicle driver enforcement operation taking place in the U.S., Mexico, and Canada from July 13 through July 19, 2025. Operation Safe Driver Week is an annual event that involves heightened law enforcement traffic patrols to discourage dangerous driving behaviors like speeding, distracted driving, or aggressive driving through warnings or citations.