In 2019, Eltel, a Nordic field service provider, collaborated with Loiste, a Finnish energy company, to explore the transformative potential of drone-based LiDAR technology for powerline network management. The pilot project aimed to address challenges in power grid design, maintenance, and troubleshooting by leveraging the precision and efficiency of UAV-mounted LiDAR systems.

Using YellowScan Surveyor LiDAR mounted on the Videodrone GeoDrone X4L, the project scanned 100-meter-wide areas, producing highly detailed and accurate digital terrain models (DTMs) with a precision of 3 to 6 cm. These models were invaluable for terrain planning, especially in winter when conventional mapping methods are hindered by snow coverage. The ability to overlap scans enhanced fieldwork planning and created an accurate foundation for powerline monitoring, network maintenance, and issue resolution.