Electric and gas utilities have long recognized the importance of accurate facility maps and records. Maps have been used in utilities for many years. Workers need them to find their way to customers, underground structures, poles, and equipment.

Electric and gas distribution utilities have assets geographically dispersed throughout the service territory. The infrastructure is aging. It is too expensive to replace equipment simply because it is getting older. The key is to understand which assets need to be replaced and when.

To address this need, utilities are turning to a technology called geographic information system or GIS. Today's modern GIS and its associated spatial database can offer radical improvements over their legacy paper map processes as well as significant improvement over CAD and AM/FM technology. GIS manages spatial information about places and features in a database and displays the results in the form of the map. CAD and AM/FM replicate known information whereas GIS creates new information.

Daffron’s GIS solution allows utilities to leverage the investment in their current facility information by integrating their existing facility maps with spatially accurate, cost effective ortho imagery. The result is a highly accurate and functional GIS system with integration to other critical applications. This enterprise-wide GIS solution will enable employees to make quick, informed decisions and improve service to customers.

Using the power of a geographic information system, infrastructure data (conductor, poles, devices, water, and gas components) is collected and graphical data is added to the ortho layer to gain geographic reference and spatial accuracy.

Spatial components and intelligent data in a GIS offer accuracy that cannot be displayed on paper source maps or computer-aided design (CAD) drawings. GIS, when combined with a high resolution aerial image, offers a very powerful way of both storing and retrieving information.

The GIS also integrates text and queries that allow users to find and view relevant information faster. The data is geo-referenced to a ground coordinate system and a high-resolution aerial image. Because each utility has different requirement specifications, the data collection process may vary.

As right-of-ways, service points, and infrastructure components are identified in the GIS, aerial imagery is used as a reference for correct placement. Symbols can be placed with associated attribute data using the aerial image.

Instead of sending field crews to locate actual utility locations using a global positioning system (GPS), this process enables visible network elements to be accurately captured and identified directly from the aerial image at a significant savings. In addition to network elements, service points and right-of-ways can be accurately placed by referencing the image.

... more information about GIS is available here.