Risk-Driven UAV Scheduling and Path Optimization for Construction Safety in Highway Projects

Ensuring safety during expressway reconstruction projects, particularly when construction and traffic coexist, is a significant challenge. A UAV scheduling and path optimization method is proposed to address this issue, utilizing a time-varying risk field to model the spatio-temporal safety risks along the construction corridor. The approach aims to maximize the coverage of high-risk areas while adhering to practical constraints such as sortie numbers, flight times, and available UAV capacity. The method generates UAV flight schedules, inspection routes, and dwell times, prioritizing critical work zones based on the predicted risk levels. A numerical case study demonstrates the effectiveness of this method in optimizing risk coverage and provides a feasible solution for real-time safety monitoring in expressway reconstruction projects. This approach not only enhances construction safety but also contributes to efficient resource management by ensuring that UAVs focus on the most hazardous areas during the most critical periods.