For decades, utilities have relied on mechanical calipers to measure transmission wire diameters. However, this approach requires survey crews to either climb transmission towers or maneuver heavy bucket trucks into energized zones, creating significant safety risks, operational challenges, and environmental impacts to sensitive transmission corridors.
In response, a utility client challenged our team to develop an alternative approach that met several strict requirements:
- We had to collect measurements remotely with no physical contact with the wire.
- The process could not rely on small unmanned aerial vehicles (sUAVs).
- Field teams needed actionable data before leaving the site, eliminating the need for office-based post-processing.
A New Model for Infrastructure Data Collection
To solve this complex infrastructure challenge, we leveraged a multidisciplinary approach backed by our firm’s national resources. Surveyors, photogrammetrists, geographic information system (GIS) specialists, and software developers collaborated to develop a digital-first alternative that met the client’s requirements.
Our framework combines a ground-based, high-resolution camera, a telephoto lens, and traditional survey equipment to accurately measure distances. These tools collect raw field data, which then feeds into a sophisticated software package that our team developed in-house. Using proprietary algorithms, the software computes the precise wire diameters, completely removing the need for physical contact with the electrical infrastructure.