Skyports Drone Services has launched fully automated Beyond Visual Line of Sight (BVLOS) “drone-in-a-box” surveying for the HumeLink West infrastructure project in New South Wales.
The deployment utilises a permanently stationed DJI Dock 2 at the Maragle substation construction site.
Controlled remotely from Skyports’ Remote Operations Centre in Lane Cove, Sydney, located over 350 kilometres away, the system flies automated site surveys every two weeks to monitor progress across the development corridor.
HumeLink West is an important component of Transgrid’s broader HumeLink venture, delivering approximately 140 kilometres of new 500kV double-circuit transmission lines and two substations to reinforce Australia’s electricity network and support renewable energy integration.
By leveraging advanced BVLOS approvals granted by the Civil Aviation Safety Authority (CASA), the drone can routinely fly missions covering up to 8–10 kilometres.
Compared with conventional visual line-of-sight operations, the remotely piloted aircraft can survey up to five times more area in a single day while eliminating the need for ground personnel to traverse active construction zones or difficult terrain.
Skyports CEO Alex Brown pointed out the transformative potential of remote aerial data collection for major Australian projects.
“HumeLink West demonstrates how advanced drone operations are transforming the way major Australian infrastructure projects are delivered,” Brown said.
“We’re providing customers with a more intelligent, safer and cost-effective way of monitoring the construction of some of the country’s most important infrastructure projects.”
HumeLink West Project Director Tim Burns said the high-resolution data processed through the DroneDeploy reality capture platform provides construction teams with continually updated 2D and 3D models to guide decision-making.
“On a project of this scale, you need reliable, up-to-date information that helps you make decisions with confidence,” Burns said.
“Skyports’ remote drone surveys are giving our construction teams a clear, consistent picture of what’s happening across the site, allowing us to track progress more effectively, respond to issues sooner and keep work moving.”
The initiative marks the first time a CIMIC Group project in Australia has received authorisation for fully remote BVLOS drone operations.