Aerial LiDAR for overhead transmission lines — Lessons from the USA in realising benefit and value

LiDAR is an established tool for collecting asset information on powerline easements in Australia, driving vegetation risk-reduction and reducing engineering costs. Wide variation in uptake and utilisation however suggests broad shortcomings in the way that LiDAR is procured, delivered and managed. In the more established USA market, we observe that the interplay between utilities, business and the overlapping regulations provide a meaningful case study with local implications. A joint purchasing approach across asset management, vegetation and engineering can make LiDAR more cost effective and less onerous to manage. The use of existing asset and engineering datasets can make the analysis more efficient and more accurate. The use of additional sensors can further help to spread cost by addressing wider business needs. Change detection routines, vegetation inventory and outputs which align to existing work processes and systems means LiDAR can generate operational savings, maintain regulatory compliance and increase the reliability of easement management activities.