Vegetation is at least partially responsible for 70% of utility-related blazes and causes roughly two-thirds of outage events — yet field teams typically cover only around 25% of their networks in any given cycle, creating the “Red Queen Effect” where crews are always catching up.
This primer outlines how utilities can transition to digital-first vegetation surveys using AI and LiDAR technology to:
- Achieve network-wide coverage without proportionally increasing field visits
- Prioritise genuine P1 risks before teams enter the field, reducing unnecessary visits
- Model dangerous weather scenarios to identify vegetation threats before they become incidents
- Document evidence for regulators and environmental groups with data-driven precision
The result: utilities can complete vegetation work up to 50% faster while maintaining safety and environmental standards. Rather than replacing field work entirely, the digital approach ensures every field visit counts.