Powercor helicopters to map Geelong, Surf Coast streets

The Avalon Airshow may have ended weeks ago but low flying aircraft will continue to buzz above Geelong skies.

Scans taken aboard helicopters are used to assist Powercor’s bushfire mitigation and vegetation management program. Picture: Supplied

If you thought the skies above the Geelong region would quieten down following the Avalon Airshow, you’d better think again.

Low-flying laser-equipped helicopters will swoop over streets across Geelong, the Bellarine, and the Surf Coast as part of an aerial operation by a major electricity provider.

Powercor will use its fleet of choppers to carry out it’s vegetation management program, which will be conducted from mid-April until early May.

The purpose of the exercise is to identify trees along the powerline network that need to be trimmed before they can cause power outages or fires.

Up to three terabytes a day are captured by the electrical company’s aerial fleet. Picture: Supplied

Flying as low as 300 metres at more than 125km/h, the aircraft will use scanning technology known as Light Detection and Ranging (LiDAR) to create 3D models of the environment.

Head of vegetation management Ayce Cordy said the mapping exercise was incredibly useful to the organisation.

“Inspecting and managing vegetation growing near powerlines is an essential part of how we keep power safe and reliable for our customers,” he said.

“By capturing data every year, we can track growth rates of vegetation across our network, helping us plan where to cut right now and when we may need to conduct cutting in the future.”

Powerlines outlined in blue show the extent of Powercor’s network in Geelong. Picture: Supplied

Between them, the helicopters will collect three terabytes of data a day.

Powercor has more than 85,000 kilometres of powerlines spanning the state — 77,000 of which lie in the western half — that delivers electricity to 1.75 million Victorians.

The businesses cutting teams need to meet clearance requirements regulated by Energy Safe Victoria.

Originally published as Powercor helicopters to map Geelong, Surf Coast streets