Benefits of Autonomous Drone Flights for Enhanced Bridge Inspections

Advancements in technology have seen bridge owners progressively adopting the use of drones as an inspection tool of their structures. Although currently being used, it is believed that the full potential for drones has yet to be recognized and is not a common tool used by bridge inspectors today. The use of drones for enhanced bridge inspections is presented with recommended procedures to guide their use. The use of drones for bridge inspections is discussed. A comparison of two commercially available drones that offer a form of autonomous drone operation is presented. In the early stages of implementation, selected case studies on the use of artificial intelligence (AI) software for bridge inspections are reviewed. The use of 3D models is presented; however, the accuracy and reliability of using models for inspections are not discussed. The literature review includes a short summary of the Ontario Structure Inspection Manual (OSIM) guidelines. A review of the Canadian regulatory environment for drones is summarized for reader information. The benefits for Department of Transportations (DOT) of developing procedures for autonomous drone flights and using of AI software are discussed, and short to long-term recommendations are presented.