Spotlight on Brandon Lovatt
MEET UTSI SCADA LAB & R&D LEAD, BRANDON LOVATT
HOW LONG YOU’VE BEEN WITH UTSI AND IN THE INDUSTRY:
I’ve been with UTSI for just under three years—since August—and have worked in the industry for the same amount of time.
DESCRIBE YOUR ROLE AND AREAS OF EXPERTISE:
I focus on both hardware and software development across a wide range of SCADA-related systems. I spend most of my time hands-on with technical work and research—developing tools, testing ideas, and building out systems that support pipeline operations. With a background in Computer Engineering, I’ve worked across technologies from Visual Basic and SQL to C#, Azure Functions, and PowerApps. With a B.S. in computer engineering, I’m sort of a Swiss Army Knife of skills, from hardware to software.
WHAT IS THE SCADA LAB AND WHAT VALUE DOES IT DELIVER TO CLIENTS:
The SCADA Lab is our sandbox environment for testing, simulating, and developing SCADA systems. It allows us to safely explore new technologies, replicate real-world conditions, and validate system performance.
WHAT ROLE WILL ML AND AI PLAY IN PIPELINE OPERATIONS, SPECIFICALLY LEAK DETECTION:
ML and AI will play a huge role in transforming how we monitor pipelines, especially for early leak detection and anomaly recognition. Traditional systems rely on static thresholds or human-defined rules, but machine learning allows us to adapt to changing conditions, detect subtle patterns, and reduce false positives.
WHAT R&D INITIATIVES ARE YOU CURRENTLY EXPLORING:
Right now, I’m focused on two major R&D initiatives: DANN 2.0 and ongoing work within our SCADA Lab environment.
DANN 2.0 is a project aimed at leveraging our historical SCADA data with machine learning models to better understand and contextualize past events. In the SCADA Lab, I’m exploring ways to simulate real-time pipeline scenarios, test new tools, and validate AI-assisted applications in a controlled environment.
FAVORITE PROJECT YOU’VE WORKED ON AND WHY:
I enjoy any project that allows me to learn something new and be creative. But if I had to pick, PLUP was particularly rewarding—it involved taking a legacy VB application and reimagining it as a web-based PowerApp with backend C# and Azure Functions. It was a great blend of solving a technical challenge, modernizing a system, and delivering exactly what the client needed.
WHAT IS YOUR TOP PROFESSIONAL ASPIRATION:
To find a position that allows me to continue learning and growing. I’ve always been driven by curiosity and working in R&D lets me explore new ideas while still making a practical impact.
WHO HAS BEEN YOUR BIGGEST INFLUENCE IN YOUR CAREER:
My team! I’ve learned so much from the people around me—their support, insight, and collaborative energy have shaped how I work and how I approach problems. We have a culture of sharing knowledge and pushing each other to get better, and that’s been incredibly influential.