…and help Gaggle warn pilots about lines ahead under 300 ft AGL
Gaggle’s Power Line Alerts provide spoken audio cues when you’re flying below 300 ft AGL and there’s a mapped power line ahead on your flight path. The more accurately power lines are mapped in OpenStreetMap (OSM), the better these alerts work — for you and for everyone who flies in your area.
This guide shows you, step-by-step, how to add or improve power lines in OSM using the beginner-friendly iD editor (in your browser) and the advanced JOSM desktop editor. It also includes a cheat-sheet of the most useful tags, QA tips, and common mistakes to avoid.
Privacy & safety: Only map what you can see from public places or permitted imagery. Never trespass or approach electrical equipment.
| Feature (what you draw) | OSM Tag(s) (what you set) | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Overhead transmission/distribution line | power=line | Use for medium to high voltage overhead lines (typical pylons/tubular towers, multiple spans). |
| Smaller overhead distribution line | power=minor_line | Use for local distribution lines on smaller poles. |
| Underground/underwater segment | power=cable + location=underground/underwater | Split the way at the transition point. |
| Large support/pylon | power=tower | Place a node on each large support (lattice/tubular). Optional: material=*, height=*. |
| Small support/pole | power=pole | Place a node on each smaller support. Optional: material=*, height=*. |
| Substation/fenced site (optional but useful) | power=substation (+ substation=distribution/transmission/...) | Map as an area (outline). |
| Transformer (optional) | power=transformer | Add inside substations if clearly visible and known. |
| Communication line | communication=line + location=overhead | Telephone/telecom cables. Don’t confuse with power=line. |
| Overhead cable (legacy) | power=cable + location=overhead | Exists but should not be used. For overhead wires use power=line/power=minor_line. Reserve power=cable for underground/underwater only. |
Common line attributes (add only if you’re confident):voltage=* (in volts, e.g. 110000, not “110 kV”), circuits=*, cables=*, operator=*
power=tower) and smaller ones as Power Pole (power=pole).material=* (wood/steel/concrete) and height=* (meters).power=line) or Minor Power Line (power=minor_line) depending on size.voltage=* (in volts), circuits=*, cables=*, operator=*. Leave unknowns blank.power=cable + location=underground.# Lines (use one)
power=line # overhead transmission/distribution
power=minor_line # smaller local distribution
power=cable # underground/underwater segment
# Line attributes (add only when known)
voltage=110000 # in VOLTS, not "kV"
circuits=2 # number of independent circuits
cables=3 # number of physical conductors
operator=Your_Utility_Name
# Supports
power=tower # large pylon (lattice/tubular)
power=pole # smaller support
material=steel|wood|concrete
height=25 # meters (if you can estimate confidently)
# Substation (optional)
power=substation
substation=transmission|distribution|transition|traction
# Communication
communication=line # telecom/telephone overhead lines
location=overhead # for overhead lines
voltage values are numeric volts (110000), not “110 kV”; unknowns are left blank.power=cable for overhead wires; use power=line/power=minor_line. communication=line is valid in OSM but not used for Gaggle alerts.[out:json][timeout:120];
(
// Overhead power lines (used in Gaggle)
way["power"~"^(line|minor_line)$"]({{bbox}});
// Underground/underwater power cables
way["power"="cable"]({{bbox}});
// Communication/telecom lines
way["communication"="line"]({{bbox}});
// Relations for complex power line groupings
rel["power"~"^(line|minor_line)$"]({{bbox}})->.rels;
way(r.rels);
);
out tags geom;
power=cable for overhead: Don’t. Keep power=cable for underground/underwater; use power=line/power=minor_line for overhead.communication=line is not a power feature and won’t trigger Gaggle alerts.Gaggle regularly pulls updated OSM data into our hazard service. Once your changes are visible on openstreetmap.org, they’ll appear in a future refresh of Gaggle’s map data.
Alerts trigger when both conditions are true:
No. Never guess. Leave it blank or add a note for future verification. The line geometry still improves safety.
Map supports that are visible. Towers/poles at reasonable spacing help others verify and maintain the line, and they improve quality checks.
Possibly — but imports require discussion, licensing checks, and coordination with the OSM community. If you’re considering this, reach out first.
Gaggle’s Power Line Alerts are an aid to situational awareness, not a primary means of obstacle detection. Data quality varies by region and source. You are solely responsible for safe flight operations, see-and-avoid, and adherence to regulations. Always maintain appropriate clearances from obstacles and power lines.
power=tower / power=pole)power=line / power=minor_line)power=cable + location=underground)Every span you add makes Gaggle safer for you and your fellow pilots. If you improve a popular local route, let your community know — they’ll feel the difference on their very next flight.