Linear infrastructure, such as powerlines, pipelines, and fiber corridors, requires continuous monitoring to ensure operational safety and regulatory compliance. But even with GPS records and as-built drawings, what’s actually happening on the ground often goes unseen. Trees grow into clearance zones. Structures creep into rights-of-way. Surface changes accumulate quietly and pose significant risks.
Why High-Resolution Aerial Imagery Matters
Aerial imagery provides a current, measurable view of corridor conditions at a scale that’s difficult to achieve from the ground. With resolutions of 10 cm or better, utilities can:
- Identify encroachments into easements and buffer zones
- Detect vegetation growth that may impact reliability
- Assess infrastructure condition remotely
- Support permitting, documentation, and audits
Orthorectified imagery can be aligned to utility GIS systems with sub-meter horizontal accuracy, allowing integration with vector data, asset inventories, and clearance models.
Mission-Ready Technology with Rapid Deployment
IO Aerospace specializes in high-altitude, aircraft-based data collection. Unlike satellite providers or slower, ground-based operations, IO can deploy quickly and fly long-range missions using a modified Learjet 35, making it ideal for wide-area coverage of transmission corridors, pipelines, and other critical assets. Utilities facing urgent inspection needs due to storms, wildfires, or system faults benefit from rapid turnaround and targeted data acquisition.
Aviation Meets Geomatics
IO Aerospace isn’t just an aerial platform, it’s a team of geomatics engineers, remote sensing scientists, and aviation professionals. That unique blend means clients get data that’s high quality, and immediately usable, with spatial accuracy and metadata that align with industry standards and enterprise systems.
To be useful, imagery must fit into utility workflows. That means:
- Delivering data in GIS-ready formats
- Providing metadata aligned with spatial standards
- Supporting derived products like canopy height models, object detection layers, and clearance maps
Imagery in the Utility Digital Ecosystem
As utilities move toward predictive maintenance, digital twins, and automated inspections, aerial imagery plays a critical role in feeding these systems with high-quality, current data. It supports condition-based monitoring, risk modeling, and asset lifecycle management – all from above.
