Energex’s nightly sky sweep targets powerline breaches with late-night noise expected

Residents of some Brisbane suburbs have been warned to expect late-night aircraft noise this week as part of an Energex survey expected to involve 3000 flight hours.

Energex will have low-flying two-seater aircraft flying over at night.

Residents of some Brisbane suburbs have been warned to expect late-night aircraft noise this week as part of an Energex survey of overhead electrical cables and powerlines.

Geo-data company Fugro has been contracted by Energy Queensland, the parent company of Energex and Ergon, to map powerline clearance and vegetation issues.

The survey, which will take 3000 flight hours and is expected to map more than 250,000 km of the overhead electrical network, will include suburbs as far north as Strathpine and will start from 11pm Monday, July 29, until 5am Tuesday.

Further surveying will be conducted on Wednesday, July 31 from 11pm.

Flights will also occur over Logan and Redland suburbs later this year.

Residents in the affected areas have been told to expect noise from the low-flying aircraft over the next few nights.

Energex said the operations were essential for maintaining the reliability and safety of the power network.

The decision to conduct the flights at night was strategic with night-time operations minimising interference with airport traffic and reducing the risk of interference with large aircraft.

Energex has warned residents of southside suburbs to expect some noise tonight and on Wednesday. Picture: Energex

The Energex aerial surveys will use state-of-the-art technology to assess clearance of powerlines from structures and vegetation, crucial for preventing disruptions and hazards.

In cases where encroachments are detected, property owners may receive notifications to address the issues.

Energex spokesman Danny Donald said a specialised radar system mounted on an aircraft would be used in order to give the energy provider a comprehensive schematic view of the entire power network.

“Over the next three nights, the aircraft will fly between 11pm and 5am to capture detailed measurements of the clearance between powerlines and their surroundings,” he said.

“We co-ordinate with the Brisbane Airport Corporation to ensure the aircraft operate safely and efficiently.

“The radar technology used in this survey is highly sophisticated, offering precise data on powerline clearance.

“It can detect structures or vegetation encroaching within three meters of the powerlines, a critical threshold for maintaining safety and preventing outages.”

“This advanced equipment helps us identify potential issues like trees growing too close or unauthorised structures beneath our powerlines.”

Why Energex is using the aircraft technology. Image: Energex

While Energex frequently uses drones for inspections, this particular survey will use an aircraft-mounted system for broader coverage and higher efficiency and with the aircraft able to scan large areas quickly and accurately.

The data collected will be analysed by engineers who will identify any issues on the ground including addressing tree growth and unauthorised constructions that could interfere with the power network.

The survey also helps detect any damage to the infrastructure, such as broken power poles, cross arms or sagging lines, which might not be visible from the ground.

Energex said the low-flying aircraft were expected to operate this week.