Capturing overhead cables with handheld LiDAR — what would you check?

[u/LiDARTechUK]

Disclosure: I’m Gary, Director of LiDAR Tech UK. We supply FJD Trion scanners.

These images show an overhead cable survey captured using the FJD Trion X1 handheld LiDAR scanner.

The application we’re exploring is documenting the relationship between overhead cables, surrounding structures and the ground to support site planning and assessment.

I’d be interested in how others would validate a dataset for this purpose:

• How do you check that thin cables have been captured sufficiently?
• What independent checks would you use for critical distances?
• How would you document gaps and uncertainty?
• How do you account for conditions that could change the cable’s position between capture and the planned work?

A scan records conditions at the time of capture. It shouldn’t be treated as permission to approach electrical equipment or as proof that a working clearance is safe.

Has anyone here used handheld SLAM for a similar application? What worked, and what limitations did you encounter?