Business & Rural
12 July, 2026
VNI West survey takes to sky
Flights are expected to take place during working hours until July 20, subject to suitable weather, visibility and aviation conditions.
PLANES will fly the proposed VNI West renewable energy transmission line route from this week.
VicGrid said survey contractors would update VicGrid’s topographic, terrain and elevation database to advance detailed design work for VNI West.
Specialist pilots using light detection and ranging technology (LiDAR) and high-resolution cameras will observe and record topographic information of the proposed route for VNI West.
“The survey data will help inform route refinement and pinpoint infrastructure placement work,” VicGrid said on Monday.
Flights are expected to take place during working hours until July 20, subject to suitable weather, visibility and aviation conditions.
“Community members may notice a small fixed-wing aircraft flying in a back-and-forth pattern approximately 500 metres above the preferred easement, including a 5km buffer either side, which is a standard flight path for aerial survey work,” it said.
“Flights are not expected to disrupt day-to-day activities on the ground, with temporary aircraft noise reducing as the plane moves through the survey area.”
A small ground team will also travel along public roads to record ground control points, at 8km intervals across the survey area.
No road closures or traffic disruptions are expected, and any roadside stops will be brief.
Initial aerial surveys were undertaken in November 2023 after the VNI West draft corridor was announced.
Since then, the project area and design requirements have advanced, and VicGrid says updated data is needed to support the next stage of planning.
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