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Sponsored by ASCE Continuing Education and Transportation and Development Institute (T&DI).

INSTRUCTORS: 
Barrit Lovelace, P.E. 
Jennifer Wells, P.E.

Purpose and Background

The increasing costs of bridge inspections are a concern for bridge owners. The use of unmanned Aircraft systems (UAS) has been shown to reduce costs, improve the quality of bridge inspections, and increase safety. The UAS can deploy a wide range of imaging technologies including high definition still, video, and infrared sensors, and data can be analyzed using 3D imaging software.

The Minnesota Department of Transportation and Collins engineers has completed two phases of research and is currently finishing Phase III. The research has focused on evaluating drone technology and the ability to process the data collected by drones into deliverables that improve the quality of inspection data. This improved data documents and communicates the inspection results giving owners the ability to make better decisions to effectively manage their infrastructure.

While drone technology has garnered a great deal of attention in respect to bridge inspections there have been very few bridge owners that have implemented this transformative technology. This webinar provides bridge owners and engineers information on how to successfully implement the technology.

Primary Discussion Topics

• Current rules and regulations regarding drone technology
• Benefits of implementing drone technology
• Challenges of implementing drone technology
• Safety improvements vs traditional workflows
• Current Drone technology as it relates to bridge inspections
• Photogrammetry and bridge inspection software to process drone data into useful deliverables

Learning Outcomes

• Discuss current UAS rules and regulations
• Find out current and future drone technologies that are effective for bridge inspection
• Learn how to successfully implement drone technology
•  Simulate the costs associated with implementing drones and the cost savings that can be realized compared to traditional methods

Webinar Benefits

• Understand how to safely implement an inspection program utilizing drones
• Experience the ways drone data can improve the bridge inspection deliverables
• See practical demonstrations on how to select equipment based on bridge types and inspection goals

Webinar Outline

• Possible outcomes and benefits of utilizing drones for bridge inspections
• Improved safety
• Improved deliverables
• Improved life cycle decision making
• Current rules and regulations
• Current FAA rules
• Possible future FAA rules
• State and local rules
• UAS technology
• Inspection specific drones and features
• Confined space drone technology
• Limitations of drones
• Image quality
• Reality modeling of bridge inspection
• Software available for data processing
• Deliverables
• 3d bridge models
• Orthomosaic
• Bridge deck surveys
• Cloud based inspection platforms
• Cost analysis
• Case studies
• Stone arch bridge inspection
• Bridge deck condition survey
• Bridge substructure rehabilitation
• Historical bridge documentation
• Public response to utilizing drones

Intended Audience

• Bridge engineers
• City and state officials with responsibility for bridge maintenance
• Maintenance engineers
• Bridge owners