Resource Assessment Tool for Effective Unmanned-Aerial-Vehicle-Assisted Bridge Inspections

Abstract

It is critically important to plan properly for integrating and deploying unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) in the bridge inspection process, there is a need for tools to support implementation and decision-making regarding the use of UAVs at specific structures. In this study, a resource estimation tool that can be used to estimate the resources required for UAV-assisted bridge inspections is developed. The tool can aid inspectors in determining the estimated flight time and resources required for using a specific UAV and operator during the inspection of a specific bridge. The tool supports the development of optimal flight paths based on the structural geometry and positioning of structural elements of a bridge, establishes a range of recommended flight speeds for conducting reliable UAV-assisted bridge inspections based on the skill level(s) of the pilot(s) who were involved in conducting inspections. The developed tool also establishes a recommended range of wind speed and the corresponding standoff clearance information for safely conducting UAV-assisted bridge inspections. The tool also provides an estimated number of batteries required to allow the estimated required flight time. In this paper, the development of the tool is described, and the advantages of the tool are illustrated by its application in a case study involving a 10-span steel continuous multi-beam bridge with a reinforced concrete deck. The tool is developed as a spreadsheet and is publicly available through a GitHub page, accessible at https://github.com/ACCESSLab/Resource-Assessment-Tool-for-Effective-UAV-Assisted-Bridge-Inspection.