Our annual aerial inspection program provides a bird’s eye view of our network and allows us to identify faults, potential defects and trees that are too close and/or causing a risk to our network.
Helicopter patrols are an important part of our overall network maintenance program and bushfire mitigation strategy.
Wrap up of the 2024 aerial inspection program:
The 2024 program ran from the 8th of March until the 5th of April 2024.
We inspected around 1200 kilometers of overhead powerlines for vegetation encroachments.
To capture this data, the helicopter was fitted with Light Detection and Ranging (LiDAR) technology which determines the distance between powerlines and trees.
What we do after the inspections:
Our teams will now cross-reference and assess the data before any repairs occur.
Vegetation management work is prioritised on a scale from immediate response to reactively clear to no action required/monitor.
This ensures the continued safety and reliability of our network.
Check trees in your yard:
In the ACT, homeowners and occupiers are responsible for keeping trees clear of powerlines on their property.
You don’t have to wait for us to send you a notification to trim your trees – we recommend you check trees on your property to check they’re not too close to powerlines, or if they might be getting close.
For more information on vegetation management in the ACT, see our Trees and Powerlines page.
Example of LiDAR data collection:
An example of the LiDAR images the helicopter takes. The purple lines indicate our powerlines, and the green areas are trees.