Applications of LiDAR in patrolling electric-power lines

It is highly advantageous to use LiDAR to carry out rapid measurement of large scale terrain. Except performance of the LiDAR device itself, proper data processing is another important job for getting good measurement result. Traditional process is mainly focusing on obtaining Digital Elevation Model(DEM) of the terrain, which is not enough for electrical system application. This paper discusses deep data processing on point cloud obtained by LiDAR scanning electric-power lines and towers. Important information is analyzed, including tower inclination and displacement, wire bending, line crossover and space check. Quantitative analysis of these parameters is very helpful for line patrol automation, especially in increasing information accuracy and decreasing manpower strength. Equations for these key parameters are deduced step by step and practically calculated with real point cloud. Results are explicit and effects clearly show the advantage of LiDAR measurement.