150 Metres of Culvert Surveyed Safely with Elios 3 Drone and LiDAR Mapping

4 February 2026

As part of complex underground survey works, our team was tasked with delivering a safe and accurate structural inspection of a culvert that could not be accessed using conventional methods.

This required a solution that combined technical expertise, advanced equipment, and innovative problem-solving to ensure critical data could be captured without compromising safety or accuracy.

Challenges:

The culvert’s layout prevented access with the mainline camera.
Manual entry was ruled out on safety grounds.
An alternative approach was required to inspect both upstream and downstream sections.

Solution:

The Elios 3 Drone was deployed to complete the inspection. To maintain signal underground, the drone’s range extender was linked to the mainline camera system, which was driven into the culvert ahead of the drone.
Over 150 metres were surveyed in each direction across two flights.
The drone’s LiDAR 3D modelling system captured thousands of data points per second, producing precise structural mapping.
The 3D outputs delivered a clear and detailed structure of the culvert’s condition.

Solutions

Results

The inspection provided a comprehensive structural assessment of the culvert, giving the client clear visibility of the asset’s condition and any potential defects or maintenance requirements.

By using drone and LiDAR technology, the survey was completed safely, efficiently and without disruption, eliminating the risks associated with confined space entry. The detailed 3D modelling and video data also allowed engineers to analyse the culvert remotely and make informed decisions regarding maintenance and asset management.

This approach significantly reduced project risk, improved data accuracy and shortened the overall inspection timeframe, demonstrating the value of advanced drone inspection technology for complex underground infrastructure.