Case Study

Converting Satellite Signals into Actionable Risk Intelligence

Overstory partnered with IndiVillage to build QA-verified geospatial datasets for vegetation risk, utility infrastructure, and wildfire prevention.

OVERSTORY

Overstory uses satellite and aerial imagery to help electric utilities predict and prevent vegetation-related hazards like wildfires and power outages. Partnering with IndiVillage, they supercharged their geospatial analytics with precisely labeled, QA-verified datasets across core infrastructure and vegetation layers, enhancing safety, accuracy, and operational scale.

1.27M

poles mapped

31K+

cells co-registered

4.5K+

cells annotated

100%

manual QA coverage

Challenge

Converting Satellite Signals into Actionable Risk Intelligence

Helping utilities mitigate vegetation risk from space is no simple task. Overstory's AI needed high-accuracy, annotated imagery that could span dense forests, suburban corridors, and remote outposts. But satellite and aerial inputs came with the limitations of cloud cover, variable resolution, and outdated imagery, all making reliable AI detection harder to achieve at scale.

On top of technical constraints, utilities often relied on legacy data and remained rightly skeptical of AI-driven vegetation intelligence. Regulatory compliance demanded airtight data quality, while real-world conditions required human expertise to catch edge cases missed by machines. Overstory needed a partner who could meet both the scientific bar and industry-grade expectations without compromise.

Solution

Layered Annotation Built for Utility-Grade Precision

IndiVillage delivered three specialized workflows designed to meet Overstory's geospatial needs at scale. In the first phase, we used a custom software to place Ground Control Points with millimetric precision, aligning satellite images with reference maps to eliminate drift and ensure map reliability across vast utility territories.

In the second phase, we manually labeled thousands of high-risk vegetation zones. Using precise polygon tools, our team made it possible for Overstory's models to distinguish hazardous growth patterns. Finally, in the last phase, our team mapped millions of utility poles and power lines, establishing a trusted spatial model of power infrastructure critical to risk monitoring.

Results

Smarter Grids, Safer Communities

The partnership delivered lasting impact - over 1.27M poles mapped, 31K cells coregistered, and 4.5K vegetation cells annotated, all at 100% QA accuracy. This allowed Overstory's clients to act fast and with confidence, detecting encroachment, preventing outages, and reducing wildfire risk with data they could trust.

Utility providers could now schedule trims proactively, plan inspections with GPS-level precision, and integrate AI-ready geospatial layers into everyday ops. More than just a service boost, this collaboration strengthened Overstory's ability to deliver dependable, client-ready insights at scale.

“To turn satellite signals into wildfire prevention, we needed more than data, we needed precision, which IndiVillage delivered. Their meticulous, high-volume interpretation and labeling became the foundation for AI our clients stake infrastructure decisions on. They helped make AI reliable where it matters most - on the ground.”
Overstory