Method for measuring the distance from the ground of an overhead electric power line comprising at least one conductor that is not provided with an active or passive target, said method being performed by an apparatus comprising a generation and management unit for generating an eye-safe infrared laser beam, and a sending and receiving unit for sending and receiving said infrared laser beam, said sending and receiving unit being connected to said generation and management unit, said method comprising the steps of: A- generating said eye-safe infrared laser beam by said generation and management unit emitting said eye-safe infrared laser beam by said sending and receiving unit, B- moving said eye-safe infrared laser beam periodically angularly with a constant angular rate upwards and downwards in a vertical plane perpendicular to a plane containing said at least one conductor, performed by a movement and tilt-regulation means included in said sending an receiving unit, C- detecting an intensity peak of a signal back-scattered from said at least one conductor when reached by said eye-safe infrared laser beam, D- registering said signal scattered by said at least one conductor in relation to a lighting angle, said lighting angle being measured by means of an angular positioner and of a biaxial inclinometer, said biaxial inclinometer being comprised in said sending and receiving unit, E- determining an absolute angular position of said at least one conductor with respect to the gravity acceleration direction from the position of said intensity peak of the signal scattered by said at least one conductor, F- knowing a distance between the apparatus and a ground vertical of said at least one conductor to be measured, G- determining the ground clearance of said at least one conductor from the absolute angular position of said at least one conductor. A- generating said eye-safe infrared laser beam by said generation and management unit emitting said eye-safe infrared laser beam by said sending and receiving unit, B- moving said eye-safe infrared laser beam periodically angularly with a constant angular rate upwards and downwards in a vertical plane perpendicular to a plane containing said at least one conductor, performed by a movement and tilt-regulation means included in said sending an receiving unit, C- detecting an intensity peak of a signal back-scattered from said at least one conductor when reached by said eye-safe infrared laser beam, D- registering said signal scattered by said at least one conductor in relation to a lighting angle, said lighting angle being measured by means of an angular positioner and of a biaxial inclinometer, said biaxial inclinometer being comprised in said sending and receiving unit, E- determining an absolute angular position of said at least one conductor with respect to the gravity acceleration direction from the position of said intensity peak of the signal scattered by said at least one conductor, F- knowing a distance between the apparatus and a ground vertical of said at least one conductor to be measured, G- determining the ground clearance of said at least one conductor from the absolute angular position of said at least one conductor.