Terra

Team: Jaskirat Randhawa, Grace Jun, Charles Saidel

Terra is a terrain mapping service that uses drones to 3D scan for constructing and inspecting power lines. With PowerGrid India as the example client, we focused on a service for engineers who build and maintain transmission lines.

Helicopters can collect line data for about 125 miles a day, at roughly $300 per mile.

Our user interviews put the daily cost of helicopter inspection at around $37,500. For a fraction of that, a drone can inspect within a 5-mile radius per flight.

It is useful in two scenarios. First, scouting and assessment: it can scan terrain before construction faster than a conventional aerial survey. Second, inspecting existing lines: detecting conductor sag, checking conductor health and ground clearances against standards, and spotting visual defects in towers and hardware.