Vegetation Management
Cutting-Edge Monitoring Solutions for Better Railroad Vegetation Management
Improve your railroad vegetation control program with advanced multispectral imaging technology that analyzes trees, plants, and surrounding natural resources along your railway corridor.
Vegetation Monitoring
Reduce Track Closures by Monitoring the Health & Progression of Nearby Vegetation
Uncontrolled vegetation poses safety concerns, leading to potential fire hazards and obstructing the visibility of railway signage and signals. Vegetation also hinders the inspection of the track and its surrounding environment.
Summit Infrastructure is proud to help train crews and operators monitor the progression and health of vegetation near tracks to reduce track downtime and identify areas that require vegetation control. We provide a complete overview of your lineside vegetation without the need to stop trains, improving job safety by keeping boots off the ballast.
Our qualified drone pilots will fly our UAV with a special multispectral camera over your tracks at regular intervals. We then extrapolate the data using photogrammetry into a multi-band image, which we use to identify hazards that can disrupt drainage pathways, impede safe railway operations, and harm your railway tracks. Our services will also ensure that your railroad complies with Transport Canada’s Rules of Respecting Track Safety.
SERVICES
Our Railway Vegetation Management Services
Summit Infrastructure has the experience and expertise to offer the following services to support vegetation management programs.
GIS Analysis & Indice Calculations
We use Geospatial and Imaging Software to highlight overly saturated soil, dying and dead trees, and drainage patterns near your rail infrastructure.
Digital Elevation Model (DEM) / Digital Surface Model (DSM) Generation
We capture the vegetation and terrain features so decisions can be made on vegetation management or removal based on the areas posing the most risk to the rail corridor.
Photogrammetry Imaging
We use photogrammetry imaging to generate a multi-band image. This image not only contains infrared imagery but also RGB imagery.
Track & Infrastructure Inspections (*Bonus Service)
In addition to monitoring your vegetation, we can note any infrastructure issues we encounter and add them to the provided dataset.
BENEFITS OF Vegetation Monitoring
Experience the Benefits of Railroad Vegetation Monitoring
The following are the benefits railway vegetation monitoring has for railway operators.
Reduced Railroad Downtime
Correctly targeted and timed brush control makes it easier to perform track maintenance and inspect rail infrastructure. This proactive approach allows you to identify and resolve issues before they result in more serious failures.
Highly-Focused Maintenance Work
After identifying vegetation or trees that require removal, only specific site visits are required to control and monitor vegetation rather than having to inspect the entire line.
Less Crew Time On or Near Tracks
Traditional vegetation monitoring methods often result in more time with “Boots on Ballast”. Our UAV solution requires no personnel or flaggers near the track, with data that can be accessed and analyzed from a remote location.
INDUSTRY-LEADING
Why Choose Summit Infrastructure?
Unlike other companies that offer multi-spectral imaging in Canada, our cutting-edge technology enables us to monitor significantly larger areas in high resolution from a safe altitude. Additionally, our team has specialized experience in railway management and monitoring. Skilled drone pilots conduct our vegetation monitoring services, and we have certified GIS professionals who work with and analyze the resulting data.
Frequently Asked Questions
Why is vegetation management important?
It’s crucial to monitor and manage vegetation near railway infrastructure due to the potential safety hazards it presents, including trackside fires that can spread into the right of way and reduced visibility. Additionally, vegetation can damage railroad equipment and harm railroad tracks, resulting in downtime for the infrastructure. It also makes it challenging to perform track inspections and maintenance.
By implementing proper vegetation management practices, you can ensure that visibility is maintained for both track inspections and maintenance and train operators while reducing the risk of a fire.
How long does vegetation monitoring take?
We can fly as far as we can see with the drone covering up to 2km in a single flight. With speeds in the air of up to 50 km/h, our drones can cover long corridors safely and quickly. Additionally, we can fly multiple flights in a day, so there is no real limit on the area to be covered.
Are you insured for flying over the railway?
Absolutely. We carry full liability insurance with drone-specific coverage, and all staff hold both e-rail safe and advanced drone licenses. We comply with all rules set by Transport Canada and always put safety first. If you have a site in mind, contact us, and we can provide you with a flight plan.
Contact Us
Talk to a Vegetation Monitoring Expert
Contact our experts today to find out how Summit Infrastructure can reduce your track closures with railroad vegetation monitoring.
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