Vegetation Mapping

Monitoring Vegetation for Smarter Maintenance

Uncontrolled vegetation growth along railways can pose significant safety risks, including obstructing visibility, interfering with signalling systems, and increasing the risk of fires caused, for example, by rail grinding operations. Trees near the tracks are a concern, as their fallen branches or entire trees can disrupt train operations and cause collisions. Additionally, root systems can undermine track stability. Our vegetation mapping services assist railway operators in pinpointing high-risk areas, allowing for targeted vegetation control strategies. This proactive approach enhances overall safety, operational efficiency, and track integrity.

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The Challenge

Obstructions & poor visibility – Overgrown vegetation can obscure signals, signs, and important sightlines, jeopardising safety. Fallen branches and trees can seriously disrupt operations.
Drainage failures & fire hazards – Vegetation near trackbeds can block drainage systems and increase fire risks during dry periods.
Signal interference & track stability – Plant growth can interfere with signalling systems and, in some cases, root systems can affect trackbed integrity.
High maintenance costs – Regular vegetation control is necessary but can be inefficient and costly without effective monitoring and management strategies.

Our Solutions

Smarter vegetation mapping – Our advanced lidar and imagery systems scan the rail corridor, detecting problematic vegetation with precision.
AI-assisted insights – Data captured through point clouds and imagery is analysed with AI to separate and categorise vegetation, track infrastructure, and other elements, providing efficient insights for smarter decisions.
Proactive & predictive maintenance – By combining lidar with AI analysis, we provide targeted interventions before problems arise.
Efficient, repeatable scanning – Our rail-mounted lidar and imaging systems provide high-resolution scans with minimal disruption, ensuring consistent, repeatable monitoring over time.

Our Technology

Our vegetation mapping solution uses state-of-the-art technology to assess and map rail corridor vegetation:

Lidar systems – Mounted on rail or hy-rail vehicles, drones, or aircraft, these systems capture detailed 3D scans of vegetation encroachment and other features.
AI-driven classification – Automatically distinguishes between vegetation, ballast, infrastructure, and other features, enabling targeted maintenance and risk assessment.
GIS mapping – Our system creates highly accurate maps for vegetation height, density, and encroachment zones, aiding in long-term planning and decision making.
Faster processing and insights – Enhanced data processing capabilities allow rapid turnaround from data capture to actionable reports, enabling quicker decision making.