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SPECIFICATIONS FOR SURVEYING, AERIAL PHOTOGRAPHY AND MAPPING

OF A PROPOSED TRANSMISSION LINE CORRIDOR
1.0 Introduction
These specifications are for plan & profile surveys required by the Engineer to develop
computer models for the design of overhead line facilities and modeling for analysis of existing
lines.
The Engineer uses PLS-CADD computer software for design and analysis of transmission line
projects. The survey requirements for development of PLS-CADD profile and plan detail follow.
Terrain and obstruction data shall be described by coordinate position and feature characteristic
collected by the surveyor. The surveyor shall measure the position of any features of objects
described in the attached list of features as necessary to define the project. The method of
acquisition shall be proposed by the surveyor and may include ground survey with total station
and data recorder, aerial photogrammetric surveys, or remote sensing (i.e. lidar) surveys that
produce horizontal and vertical positions with codes to describe different features.
2.0 Area To Be Flown
The proposed route of the transmission line is as follows:
{Description of Line Route}. The approximate length of this line is {length of route}. The width
of coverage shall be a minimum of {300 Note: for existing lines one may wish to consider a
much smaller width} meters left and right from the route centerline
3.0 Approximate Route Alignment
Drawing {Drawing Number(s)} dated {mm/dd/yy}, represents the current proposed location of
the transmission line. The drawing is also attached as an electronic drawing in {AutoCAD,
Microstation, other} format for use only with this project. The projection used in the file is {UTM,
State Plane, etc. full description}.
4.0 Deliverables
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.

Contact Prints
Digital Orthophotography Image files on CD-ROM or DVD-ROM
CAD Drawing file on CD-ROM or DVD-ROM
DTM (Digital Terrain Model) file on CD-ROM or DVD-ROM
Optional: A PLS-CADD backup (.bak) file containing all of the above. This is the
simplest possible format for the engineer to use as it may be directly opened inside PLSCADD. The backup file is created using the File/Backup command in PLS-CADD.

Specifications for these deliverables are given in the following paragraphs.

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4.1 Contact Prints
Hard copies of the physical contact prints of the entire flight area shall be provided. The contact
prints shall be referenced by an overall flight map.
4.2 Digital Orthophotography
The photography shall be at a negative scale of 1:6000 with 90% of features within 1 meter of
the true geodetic location and no area shall be more than 1.5 meters from its true geodetic
location. The digital orthophotography shall be geo-referenced to {UTM, State Plane, etc. full
description}.
The digital image files shall be of a {600} meter wide strip centered on the preferred route
alignment and on any designated alternative route alignments. The resolution of the digital
images shall be 1 pixel = 1ft or better. The images shall be provided in GeoTIFF, ECW or
JPEG2000 format with minimum overlaps where required. The images shall be oriented along
the alignment in such a manner as to minimize the whitespace where image data is not
available. Images shall be cut in such a manner that no more than 20% of the image consists of
such whitespace.
GeoTIFF digital orthophotography shall be geo-referenced to {UTM, State Plane, etc. full
description}. The following tags are required for the TIFF to be considered a GeoTIFF:
Tag # 33550 ModelPixelScaleTag defines x and y pixel size
Tag # 33922 ModelTiePointTag defines x and y coordinates of upper left pixel
PLS-CADD will assume that these quantities are in whatever unit system the user is using when
the file is imported (feet for the Imperial system, Meters for the Metric system).
ECW and JPEG2000 digital orthophotography shall be geo-referenced to {UTM, State Plane,
etc. full description}. Either Meters or Feet can be used as PLS-CADD can detect and
translate the units as needed.
All formats other than GeoTIFF, ECW or JPEG2000 shall also provide, a corresponding Tiff
World File (*.TFW) of the exact same name, but with a .TFW extension. A World File is an
ASCII file used to geo-reference the *.TIF (or the *.BMP) and contains the specified coordinates,
translation, pixel size and rotation information for the image. The format of the World file will be
made up of 6 lines as follows:
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.

x scale
rotation information
rotation information
y scale (as a negative number)
the x coordinate for the center of the upper left pixel
the y coordinate for the center of the upper left pixel

An example World File follows:

1
0
0
-1
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1000.01
1000000.02
The Digital Orthophotography files shall be provided on CD-ROM or DVD-ROM.
4.3 CAD Drawings
Planimetric drawing of the same {600} meter wide strip and alignments described above for the
digital image files shall be submitted in DXF format as that is the only format PLS-CADD can
read; however, the original {DWG, DGN} used to create the DXF shall be submitted as well.
The planimetric drawing shall be in the {UTM, State Plane, etc. full description} coordinate
system.
The planimetric CAD drawing shall be provided on CD-ROM or DVD-ROM.
4.4 DTM Data
The DTM (digital terrain model) file shall be of the same {600} meter wide strip and alignments
described above for the digital image files. The DTM data shall be in the {UTM, State Plane, etc.
full description} coordinate system and shall be in the format described in Table 1 below. The
horizontal and vertical accuracy of the data shall be at least plus or minus 0.5 meter.
The Surveyor shall provide the survey data to Engineer in an ASCII text file (or files) with one
data point per record (line) in the file. The DTM files shall be provided on CD-ROM or DVDROM.
Table 1
FORMAT FOR THE DTM FILES
The DTM (Digital Terrain Model) file shall be in a comma delimited text format. The typical
record format, space or comma delimited (preferred) is as follows:
Des,X-coord,Y-coord,Z-coord,FeatureCode,Comment
The standard format of the surveyors data collector may download as Y,X,Z (Northing, Easting,
Elevation) coordinates. This Y/X transposition of the data record is acceptable, but should be
noted with the data transmittal.
Data may also be delivered in other formats as one data point per row with a column for each
field described above. Alternate formats (program output) shall be approved by Engineer prior
to delivery.
For each terrain point, there shall be one record that includes the following six (6) data fields:
1. Des - Alphanumeric point descriptor or point number of the terrain point. This can be
any reference number as determined by the surveyor or aerial photographer, and will
only be used for future reference when further information regarding a specific point is
requested.
2. X-coordinate (East-West) in {meters feet}.
3. Y-coordinate (North-South) in {meters feet}.
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4. Z-coordinate (Elevation) in {meters feet}. This is the true elevation of the surveyed point,
even if it is an aerial obstacle.
5. Feature Code (Integer), see Table 1a on the following pages for a listing of the feature
codes to be used.
6. Comment - Optional note to appear on all profile views. No commas are to be included
within the optional note. Comments may be attached to the coordinate value to describe
the particulars of the feature, or provide additional information about the location. For
example, the feature code for "road" may be consistent for all roads, a comment may be
added to identify the road name.
An example of a typical record for a terrain point follows:
SP471,431443.25,2040681.93,127.56,330,Highway 101
Each field of this example record is interpreted as follows:
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.

Description of the terrain point is SP471 (e.g., this could be the survey point number).
The X-coordinate of the point is 431443.25 meters.
The Y-coordinate of the point is 2040681.93 meters.
The Z-coordinate (ground elevation) of the point is 127.56 meters.
The feature code number of the point is 330, which is the feature code for a Secondary
Highway as listed in Table 1a.
6. The notation Highway 101 will be indicated on all plan and/or profile views at the
location of this terrain point. This field is optional, but should be filled out wherever
additional point specific information is applicable.

Table 1a
A list of codes required to define the characteristic feature of surveyed points is as follows.
Feature codes shall be consistent for each point type or discreet feature. Alternate points, shall
be approved by Engineer prior to commencement of the survey work.

FEATURE CODES
Feature Code Feature Description

1
10
100
200
204
205
206
208
209
210
220
221
222

P.I.
AERIAL PHOTO TARGET
SURVEY CONTROL POINT
GROUND
CENTER LINE OF DITCH
CENTER LINE OF CREEK
HIGH BANK
TOE OF SLOPE
TOP OF SLOPE
BREAK IN GRADE
TOP OF WATER LESS THAN 20 ACRES
TOP OF WATER OVER 20 TO 200 ACRES
TOP OF WATER OVER 200 TO 2,000 ACRES

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223
224
225
226
227
300
302
310
320
330
335
340
400
402
411
414
415
416
500
515
516
521
522
523
524
526
528
529
540
541
570
600
610
620
630
640
650
660
670
680
690
700
800
801
802

TOP OF WATER OVER 2,000 ACRES

SAILBOAT LAUNCH @ WATER LESS THAN 20 ACRES
SAILBOAT LAUNCH @ WATER OVER 20 TO 200 ACRES
SAILBOAT LAUNCH @ WATER OVER 200 TO 2,000 ACRES
SAILBOAT LAUNCH @ WATER OVER 2,000 ACRES
EDGE OF ROAD
BRIDGE
DIRT ROAD
PAVED ROAD OR STREET
SECONDARY HIGHWAY
TOP OF RAIL
INTERSTATE
FENCE
SIGN
CORNER OF BUILDING
APEX OF BUILDING
EAVE OF BUILDING
CHIMNEY
DISTRIBUTION ATTACHMENT POINT
CABLE T.V. OVERHEAD
TELEPHONE OVERHEAD
EXISTING POLE
TERMINAL POLE
TRANSFORMER POLE
STUB POLE
DOWN GUY
STRUT GUY
PUSH BRACE
EXISTING TOWER TOP
EXISTING TOWER BOTTOM
SPAN GUYS
12KV WIRE
35KV WIRE
69kv WIRE
115KV WIRE
138kV WIRE
169KV WIRE
230KV WIRE
345KV WIRE
500KV WIRE
765KV WIRE
FUEL TANK
WALL
STREET LIGHT
PIPE LINE

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803
804
805
806
807
808
812
813
814
817
818
822
824
825
829
831
832
833
836
837
839
840
841
842
843
847
850
851
855
856
861
862
871
872
876
877
890
891
892
894
897
898
899
904

STRUCTURE ARM
COND. ATTACH AT C.L.
ENTER TIMBER
EXIT TIMBER
TREE
COND. ATTACH AT INS.
PARKING LOT
TRAIL
BUILDING
BOX INLET
BRK
CATV PEDESTAL
DRIVEWAY
RAILROAD
CULTIVATED FIELD
OH DISTRIBUTION CONDUCTOR
UG DISTRIBUTION CONDUCTOR
ELECTRICAL BOX
END OF I-BEAM
EDGE OF WATER
FIRE HYDRANT
FLUSH VALVE
GAS LINE
GAS METER
GAS VALVE
MAN HOLE
INLET
LAKE
METER BOX
OVERHEAD FENCE
PIPE RACK
POLE ATTACHMENT
RAILROAD SIGNAL
SANITARY LINE
SIGNAL LIGHT
STORM SEWER
UG CABLE
UG FIBER OPTICS
UG TELEPHONE LINE
GAS VAULT
WATER METER
WATER VALVE
WIRE CROSSING
AQUEDUCT

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905

WATER PUMP

*Note: Assign other feature codes for other miscellaneous features, as necessary. The same
feature code shall be used for each type of feature, and consistency shall be maintained
in grouping the new feature code near similar codes of other features. The use of
miscellaneous features shall be kept to a minimum, and additional feature codes added
shall be provided to the Engineer.

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