Skyports Drone Services and Ground Control have initiated a service with Network Rail to employ drones for infrastructure surveys, aiming to streamline the monitoring of the UK’s railway environments. This collaboration seeks to gather essential data on vegetation and biodiversity along the railway lines, aiding in the maintenance and ecological management efforts of Network Rail.
The service utilizes the technological capabilities of Skyports’ drones, combined with Ground Control's expertise in environmental maintenance, to offer insights that are intended to assist Network Rail in its vegetation management strategies. This approach is designed to help balance the operational needs of the railway with the preservation of adjacent natural habitats.
During a pilot project in Cornwall, the effectiveness of using drones for asset inspection and ecological surveys was evaluated. The service employs Skyports’ Stellaire Explorer drone, equipped to capture various data types, including thermal imaging and LiDAR, aimed at enhancing the efficiency and safety of railway inspections.
Peter Stirratt from Skyports and Austin Brown from Ground Control both noted the project's potential to improve operational decisions through better-quality data collection. The service is presented as a method to potentially reduce the manual risks involved in railway surveys and to offer a more environmentally considerate option, considering the drones operate with zero emissions.
The drones used in this project are capable of automated operation and can be flown beyond the operator's line of sight, which could reduce the need for personnel to enter hazardous areas. Moreover, the immediate processing and AI-driven analysis of the collected data could offer Network Rail rapid insights into the state of vegetation and biodiversity along its tracks.
This initiative with Network Rail is part of a broader trend towards integrating drone technology into infrastructure management and environmental monitoring. By providing a detailed analysis of vegetation health and distribution without the need for direct human intervention in potentially unsafe areas, Skyports and Ground Control are contributing to the evolving landscape of railway maintenance and environmental stewardship.
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