We have completed a pilot project of aerial diagnostics and design for the Hungarian transmission system using modern technologies, including LiDAR and Hyspex systems

The work of our company VUJE, a. s., included visual and thermographic inspection, scanning and recording of the necessary data. The helicopter - equipped with special modern technologies, such as the powerful LiDAR laser system, the TRAKKA diagnostic system consisting of a gyro-stabilised platform with powerful optical ultraviolet and infrared sensors, and the HYSPEX hyperspectral camera - continuously flew over the mountainous Hungarian territory and enabled a thorough check of the technical condition even in places where the team could not reach by car at all.

The pilot project of aerial diagnostics for the Hungarian transmission system operator was completed by our team of specialists before the end of 2023.

The use of lidar data was a novelty for designers

"This was a unique combination of the aerial diagnostics technology provided by VUJE, with the preparation of detailed project documentation, where standard geodetic measurements were not necessary at all. The designers relied only on the supplied documents and lidar data, which was a completely new experience for them. They could also check the limit states in terms of the conductor’s load, taking climatic factors, such as wind and frost, into account," confirmed Ľuboš Skurčák from the VUJE division for the support of the management and operation of the power system under the leadership of its director, Alexander Kšiňan, Vice-Chairman of the Board of Directors.

The orthophotomap as a raster image of the real surface has a high information value in terms of completeness, clarity and the amount of captured details, it has defined its coordinate system and directional orientation. "And since Slovakia commonly uses a different coordinate system (JTSK) than Hungary (EOV), all the aerial imagery data had to be transformed, which was a bit of a challenge, but our team handled it well. We handed over the results of the whole project to our foreign partner on 31 October."

What else is LiDAR technology for?

LiDAR laser technology records the digital reflection of a laser beam from real objects in the form of hundreds of millions of points that have their exact position in space. The points define what the objects look like, what are the distances between them. Each point can be assigned whether it is a wire, a grounding rope, the ground itself or vegetation. The data output is called a cloud of points. Airborne diagnostics can also scan large areas and inaccessible terrain in a relatively short time. The entire transmission system can thus be inspected and imaged in a matter of months, which would not otherwise be physically possible. VUJE combines modern devices with visual inspection by its specialists, who can detect defected transmission line even where it is not always visible from photographs. This method of diagnostics is mainly used in large linear energy constructions, such as distribution and transmission lines, oil pipelines, gas pipelines. It allows to identify places where the risk events can occur, such as dangerous distance of vegetation from power lines, detection of slope displacement, risk of tree falling, etc.

However, LiDAR and Hyspex systems are also used in archaeology or agriculture to monitor soil fertility or vegetation species composition.

Watch more here @vujea.s.7787 / Letecká diagnostika / Repülési diagnosztika: Távvezetékek