Outdated infrastructure is an expensive and hazardous problem for many communities across the United States. For New Jerseyans, this issue is too close to home. The American Society of Civil Engineers (ASCE) reports that New Jersey drivers experience costs of $713 per year from driving on roads in need of repair and that 7.8% of New Jersey’s bridges are structurally deficient.
There are over 6,000 bridges in New Jersey. With many of them needing repairs, community and government leaders are looking toward private companies to provide new technologies and solutions. A budget-conscious and time-effective solution proposed by The Drone Life is to implement drone-based bridge inspections.
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Drones enable close-up access to the hard-to-reach places, like the underside view, of bridges while capturing high-resolution images that can be used to assess any structural deficiencies. Remotely piloted drones can provide 3D and infrared models of bridges and identify areas of corrosion, scour, and fracture.
This data enables engineers to accurately decide whether to maintain, rehabilitate, or replace aging bridges. Through the duration of the repairs, drones can be used to track progress, provide continuous updates, and make before-and-after comparisons.
There are major advantages of using drones for bridge inspections, including improved worker/commuter safety, faster and easier inspections, more detailed data collection, and reduced costs. These are just a few benefits of conducting bridge inspections by drone. For the remainder of this article, we’ll detail what we consider the top 5 advantages of using drones for bridge inspections.
Five Advantages of Using Drones for Bridge Inspections
Here are the top 5 advantages of using drones for bridge inspections:
- Improved worker safety
- Inspections completed faster
- Easier access under the bridge
- Reduced bridge inspection costs
- Simplified record-keeping with drone software
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Now let’s take a look at how drones deliver each of these benefits when inspecting bridges.
Continue reading or check out this related topic: Benefits of Using Drones In Civil Engineering
1. Improved Worker Safety
A traditional bridge inspection requires expensive and dangerous gear as well as large teams of workers. The most common piece of equipment used for bridge inspections is a snooper truck, which uses a multi-jointed arm and platform to suspend workers under the bridge while the truck is parked on the bridge deck.
This can be especially dangerous on heavily trafficked bridges or over fast-moving waterways. In some cases, in an even riskier approach, workers rappel on ropes from the top of the bridge.
Drones provide a safer solution to bridge inspection equipment. A drone can be remotely operated from the ground with just a two-man team, consisting of a single drone operator and a designated visual observer. Both can safely do their job from the ground.
Additionally, a licensed drone pilot will know how to operate a drone safely and legally around traffic and pedestrians, obtaining a waiver when necessary. They will also carry drone insurance to protect themselves and the clients from liability.
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2. Inspections Completed Faster
It can take hours to get a snooper truck into place and secure workers in safety gear. A drone can be up in minutes and begin collecting images as soon as it’s in the air. The inspector doesn’t need to be physically transported by the snooper truck before collecting the data. Instead, the drone can quickly maneuver around the bridge, collecting data as it goes, while the drone operator stays on the ground.
Some done software even allows the imagery to be compiled into 3D and infrared models instantaneously so that decisions can be made faster. Another time-saver is the reduced need to close bridge traffic during the inspection. In some cases, a drone inspection may enable traffic to continue as usual with no need to close lanes or stop traffic.
Drones used in bridge inspections “facilitate safer, more efficient engineering decisions.”
-2021 ASCE Infrastructure Report Card
3. Easier Access Under the Bridge
A big problem during traditional bridge inspections is observing the underside of the bridge because it is very difficult to position workers there and it’s a challenging angle to capture images from. Drones with top-mounted cameras offer a solution. They can easily fly under bridges and look straight up, capturing data of every viewpoint. This is especially important during bridge inspections since it is the side and bottom view of the bridge that can reveal the most critical information about the bridge’s condition.
4. Reduced Bridge Inspection Costs
The Federal Highway Administration reports that bridge inspections conducted with traditional methods cost between $4,500 to $10,000 per bridge. In addition to the price of equipment and labor, this includes lane closure costs and traffic disruption costs.
Bridge inspection costs are dramatically reduced when drones are used. The cost per inspection can be reduced by as much as 75% according to drone manufacturer Skydio. Drones can fly near and around bridges without disrupting traffic, therefore eliminating the costs associated with lane closures and blocked traffic.
Additionally, a drone can be operated by teams as small as two people. Commercial drone operations require a licensed drone pilot and visual observer. With a well-equipped drone, the drone operator can complete the inspection quickly, in as little as one hour depending on the size of the bridge. With fewer workers working faster, drone bridge inspections cost far less than traditional inspections conducted with a snooper truck.
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5. Simplified Record-Keeping With Drone Software
Paired with drone software, the data collected during a drone bridge inspection can be easily stored and shared with other team members across departments and agencies. Automated software keeps the images organized and eliminates the need to go through each image individually with the human eye. Image analysis software enables engineers to quickly spot issues and convert the data into professional inspection reports.
Beyond the initial survey and inspection, drones can be used continually throughout proceeding bridge rehabilitation projects to track progress. New images can be captured to gather before-and-after comparison data as well as to ensure the job is being completed correctly.
Find a Drone Pilot for Bridge Inspections in New Jersey
The Drone Life is assisting New Jersey municipalities with the inspection and tracking of structural assets using current drone technology. For more information on how to work with The Drone Life for bridge inspections, visit schedule a consultation with a drone expert.
What's included in the PDF...
The complete step-by-step beginners roadmap for infrastructure inspections
Crucial factors of success when implementing a drone program
The game-changing advantages of utilizing drones for inspections
