Harnessing GIS and Imagery for Power Transmission Inspection
ESRI European Users ConferenceOctober 15, 2015
About Us
Airborne/Threod• Designer, manufacturer & service provider for multi-rotor & fixed wing UAV
products• Deliver best in class solutions, services, and support• Application specific solutions & services to meet customer needs directly
InspecTools• Asset risk strategies for wind, solar, utility assets• UAVs & manned aircraft for aerial data acquisition• Actionable and ongoing asset awareness
Data Collection Modes
UAV MANNED AIRCRAFT
GROUND SATELLITE
Data Collection Sensors
Visual ImageryStereo ImageryMultispectral / NDVILive videoLiDARIR / Thermal
Pros & ConsUAVs MAN AIRCRAFT SATELLITE FOOT PATROL
Cost LOW HIGH LOW LOW / MED
Resolution HIGH LOW VERY LOW HIGHSensor Options
HIGH HIGH LOW LOW
Speed FAST FAST AVERAGE SLOW
EnvironmentDependent
LOW(rain/high winds)
HIGH (Cloud cover)
HIGH (Cloud Cover)
MED (rain, access)
Regulatory Required (CAA)
Required (CAA)
None Required(property access)
Power Line: Data Acquisition• Manned aircraft• PhoDAR (photo-based 3D modeling)• Data can locate assets & vegetation risks • Data can serve as baseline for future analysis• Develop terrain & canopy models• Deliver actionable information
Near IR Imagery Vegetation Health NDVI Height Model Priority Locations
Data Analysis
Risk Evaluation
Power Line: Deliverables
• Asset data• Location of poles & conductors
• Tree threat data • Trees identified & evaluated• Vegetation data • Source data
• Color IR orthoimagery• Classified LAS files produced from orthoimagery• Elevation model
Vegetation Analysis Case Study
Client: Elering (Estonian TSO)
The Threat: Annual overgrowth of brush and trees endangering lines
The Need: 1) Accurately identify brush ground area and number of trees to cut down2) To confirm the cutting work
Current method: Inspectors walk the lines on foot, take photos and make notes
Why UAVs?
• Inaccurate / human error• Limited as to distance can be covered in a
year
• Ineffective in difficult to reach places • No time for verification• Lack of accurate data for ordering cutting
works
• Quick to deploy • Single operator deployment
• Higher accuracy• Oblique imaging possible• No geographical limitations
• Increased coverage means healthier network• Save money on cutting works • Cheaper than helicopter
• Higher resolution vs manned aircraft• Can fly below cloud cover
WALK THE LINE UAVs
Method1. Work with client to understand specific needs, goals, etc.2. Create flight plan and approve with client3. Obtain required flight permissions 4. Acquire aerial imagery5. Locate transmission / distribution assets6. Develop terrain & canopy model7. Identify high risk trees8. Deliver actionable information to client to pass to contractors
or internal cutting works department
Flight Plan & Permissions
• Waypoint mapping options• Permission requested from Civil
Aviation Authority and Tallinn Harbor and granted within 1 week
• Coordination with local flight towers during operation
Aerial Platform - EOS
Hand Launch Parachute Landing
Photogrammetry Process
Stereo ImageAcquisition
Stereo Image Triangulation
Terrain and Tree Canopy Model
Ortho Image Visual Height Layer
Client Specific Filter(height + distance from center)
Visual Risk Layer
Risk Analytics – Previous
• Client historically wanted to look at small grid areas .5mx.5m with each grid classified by risk level
• Grids were then grouped into 4x4m cells turned into a dot matrix, and applied as a map layer
1 2
3 4 5
• Dot-matrix method yielded ~3-4x more trees than were actually present
• Airborne/InspecTools proposed analysis of tree crowns
• ~2x more accurate
We offered another way…
Vegetation Analysis ReportID Risk_Level Type date Method class height zone x_coord y_coord
1dangerous tree 5/29/2015Photogramm {07,15} 7.940{15,20} 549279.0625 6596508.5
2dangerous tree 5/29/2015Photogramm {07,15} 7.190{05,10} 550292.3125 6595861
3emergency tree 5/29/2015Photogramm {07,15} 7.349{05,10} 550288.3125 6595864
4emergency tree 5/29/2015Photogramm {07,15} 11.47{10,15} 548225.9375 6597210.5
5emergency tree 5/29/2015Photogramm {15,20} 16.77{05,10} 548630 6597149.5
6emergency tree 5/29/2015Photogramm {20,25} 20.90{05,10} 548627.0625 6597155
7emergency tree 5/29/2015Photogramm {15,20} 18.31{05,10} 548639.3125 6597155.5
Client requested Excel showing:
• Type of threat• Risk class• Height• Map zone• Coordinates of threat
Asset Evaluation – By UAV
Business Models
• Utilities perform processes internally• Contract for data acquisition, analyze internally• Contract for full service (data acq, analysis, results)
Thank You!Feedback and questions welcome
Sean Whalen, CEO [email protected] +372 5301 9198www.airborneinspector.com
Chris Bley , CEO [email protected]+1 831 428 6655www.inspectools.com
APPENDIX
Solar Inspection: Overview• Aerial inspection using IR & imaging sensors• Analysis, reporting & storage of data• Boots on the ground, follow-up inspection• Defective module replacement tracking
Solar Inspection: Aerial Acquisition• Manned & unmanned aircraft• Specialized sensor payloads• High productivity, accuracy &
reliability• Low site impact
0
5000
10000
15000
20000
25000
Modules per hourOn GroundUAVManned aircraft
Solar Inspection: Ground Acquisition• Mobile map platform• Structured data collection• Off-line functionality• Web integration• Cleaning data compatible• Integrated reporting
Solar Inspection: Deliverables• Mapped locations of suspect modules• Mobile map interface• IR video & images
Blade Inspection: Mobile Data• Blade data available in the field• Structured data collection• Commissioning, on-ground
inspection, repair• Procedural guidance• Access to technical documents
Blade Inspection: Deliverables
Blade Inspection: Aerial Imaging
• High resolution images• Ideal vantage point• Increased safety• Fast & efficient• Automatable
• High resolution images• Ideal vantage point• Increased safety• Fast & efficient• Automatable
Blade Inspection: Overview• Purpose-built UAV: ITX8• Find defects at specific locations on blades • Reports generated from database• Cradle to grave condition data• Identify serial defects & under performance
Our Solutions
• Data acquisition systems using:• Manned & unmanned aircraft• Mobile apps for field use
• Cloud-based data storage & analysis• Geo-centric data reporting• Enterprise system integration
Problems We Address• Asset condition often poorly known• Current inspection options not economical• Inspection & maintenance not performed• Asset managers need better software• Owners forfeit benefit of warranties
Why Photogrammetry?
• Complements periodic, required LiDAR inspection• 50-75% less expensive than LiDAR• Faster, less expensive analysis• Yields vegetation health & species data• Suitable for transmission & distribution• Combines well with mobile LiDAR
The EOS
• 3.2m wing 1.6m length• Weight: 5.5kg• Flight time: up to 2hr• 50-110km/hr• Stabilized two-axis camera gimbal• Camera options
• Sony A5100• EO camera with 36x zoom• IR Camera 640x470 resolution• Other payloads available
• Geo-location, geo-tracking, video tracking
*Longer flight duration and faster flight speed models are available
Color IR Imagery & NDVI (optional)
• Stereo 4-Band Images• Includes NIR• Typically 6 or 12cm• Yields point clouds• Yields color images• Tree health and species ID
used as factor in risk calculation
* Was not performed in this case study but optional upon request
Client Needs1. Oblique imaging of towers and substations
1. GSD 2.5cm / pixel2. Towers captured as full towers (exposing legs and isolators in single photo3. Geo referenced photos
2. GSD of less than 5cm (actual was 2.5cm / pixel)3. 90m minimum ROW corridor width for 330kV lines and 60m for 110kV lines4. Minimum overlap of 60% - 90% of features within 20cm of true geolocation and no area more
than 30cm of true geodetic location.5. Brush and tree classification according to Client custom designed matrix relating distance from
line to height of identified object (tree or brush)6. Outputs
1. Digital ortho-photos (lossless JPEG2000 / TIFF format)2. Orthomosaic3. Oblique images4. ESRI compatible data shape file outputs5. Colored polygon area to represent brush and colored individual points for trees (color according to riskiness
class
Summary
HELICOPTER LIDAR UAV PHOTOGRAMMETRY FOOT PATROL
COST HIGH LOW LOW / MED
Vegetation analysis quality
GOOD GOOD POOR
Data depth/density GOOD FAIR POOR
Speed of deployment and data analysis
SLOW FAST SLOW
Requires NIR for Veg. Analysis
YES NO NO
Weather/Terrain Sensitive (i.e. clouds & marsh land)
YES NO YES
Future Value of Data
• Asset location data can be refined, tested, reused• Terrain data can be refined for more accuracy• Risk tree data can form a “watch” database• Mobile LiDAR data contains pole loading info• Mobile LiDAR & imagery is viable patrol alternative• All data delivered in standard ESRI formats
Thank you!Contact Information:
• Chris Bley, InspecTools• 2823 Mission St., Santa Cruz, CA 95060, USA• (831) 428-6655• [email protected]
• Sean Whalen, Airborne• Tallinn, Estonia• Phone• [email protected]