In late 2024, Airpelago partnered with SP Electricity North West and eSmart Systems to deliver a comprehensive inspection of HV transmission assets across the North West of England.

The project marked a significant milestone in scalable, high-quality infrastructure inspections for Airpelago in the UK. By combining high-resolution LiDAR, autonomous drone technology, and precision imaging to meet ENW’s stringent asset management requirements.

• 846 km of LiDAR mapping completed
• 3,544 assets visually inspected with over 75,000 RGB images delivered
• 225 assets captured using ultra-high-resolution Phase One camera

Data review and condition assessment performed by our partners eSmart Systems

‍The project commenced with the capture of large-scale LiDAR data using the DJI Matrice 350 RTK, equipped with the L2 LiDAR payload, which produced an accurate 3D map of ENW’s transmission network. This terrain data enabled the planning of automated drone flight patterns, which were then executed using the Matrice 4E to conduct efficient, detailed inspections.

For high-detail asset imaging, the Phase One camera system was used to capture ultra-sharp 120MP imagery, ensuring exceptional visual clarity for every component inspected.
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Outcome & Impact

This project demonstrates the value of combining advanced drone platforms with structured data workflows to achieve:

•High-efficiency inspections over large geographic areas
• Reduced environmental and operational footprint - 13,573kg co2 saved compared to helicopter operations
• Scalable deployment for ongoing asset condition monitoring

Airpelago is proud to support ENW and eSmart Systems in modernising inspection practices and setting new standards for speed, quality, and operational safety in the UK energy sector.

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