Revolutionizing Powerline Inspections: Drone-Based LiDAR Mapping for E-REDES

Hepta Airborne, in collaboration with YellowScan, undertook an ambitious project to prove the feasibility of using drones for powerline inspections, replacing traditional manned helicopter missions. Commissioned by Portuguese Distribution Service Operator (DSO) E-REDES, the mission sought to benchmark drone-based LiDAR data against helicopter-derived datasets to ensure equivalent quality and create a digital twin of the overhead lines and corridor surrounding it. The stated objective of the flights was to produce data that would ensure safety in the power line corridor by detecting dangerous vegetation, illegal buildings and measure wires.

Over the course of three months, the team successfully mapped 1,000 kilometers of medium and high-voltage powerlines across hilly and challenging terrain. Using the YellowScan Mapper, they generated high-density point cloud data (150 points/m² with 5–10 cm accuracy), allowing for the creation of a digital twin of the overhead lines and the surrounding corridor. This data enabled the identification of dangerous vegetation, illegal structures, and defects in the powerline system.