Applications of UAV Technologies in Assessment of Transportation Infrastructure Systems
As transportation infrastructure systems continue to expand, the demand for unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) technologies in the assessment of urban infrastructure is expected to grow substantially, due to their strong potential for efficient data collection and post-processing. UAVs offer numerous adv...
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MDPI AG
2025-06-01
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| author | Ahmad Akib Uz Zaman Ahmed Abdelaty Mohamed S. Yamany |
| author_facet | Ahmad Akib Uz Zaman Ahmed Abdelaty Mohamed S. Yamany |
| author_sort | Ahmad Akib Uz Zaman |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | As transportation infrastructure systems continue to expand, the demand for unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) technologies in the assessment of urban infrastructure is expected to grow substantially, due to their strong potential for efficient data collection and post-processing. UAVs offer numerous advantages in infrastructure assessment, including enhanced time and cost efficiency, improved safety, and the ability to capture high-quality data. Furthermore, integrating various data-collecting sensors enhances the versatility of UAVs, enabling the acquisition of diverse data types to support comprehensive infrastructure evaluations. Numerous post-processing software applications utilizing various structure-from-motion (SfM) techniques have been developed, significantly facilitating the assessment process. However, researchers’ efforts to find the potentialities of this technology will be in vain if its applications are not utilized effectively in the practical field. Therefore, this study aims to determine the adaptation condition of UAV technologies in different Department of Transportation (DOT) and Federal Highway Administration (FHWA) agencies to assess transportation infrastructure systems. This study also explores the quantitative analysis of benefits and challenges/barriers, expectations for every UAV and post-processing software, and the cutting-edge features that should be integrated with UAVs to effectively evaluate transportation infrastructure systems. A comprehensive survey form was distributed to all 50 DOTs and the FHWA, and 35 complete responses were recorded from 27 DOTs and the FHWA. The survey results show that 25 agencies currently use UAVs for roads or highways, and 23 DOTs for bridges, confirming these as the most commonly assessed infrastructure systems. The top benefits found in this study include safety, cost effectiveness, and time efficiency (mean ratings: 3.95–4.28), while weather, FAA regulations, and airspace restrictions are the main challenges. Respondents emphasize the need for longer flight times, better automation, and advanced data tools, underscoring growing adoption and highlighting the need to overcome technical, regulatory, and data privacy challenges for optimal UAV integration within transportation infrastructure systems management. |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj-art-0884f5d73d434cbd974a9698aa92e3bd |
| institution | Kabale University |
| issn | 2673-4109 |
| language | English |
| publishDate | 2025-06-01 |
| publisher | MDPI AG |
| record_format | Article |
| series | CivilEng |
| spelling | doaj-art-0884f5d73d434cbd974a9698aa92e3bd2025-08-20T03:26:21ZengMDPI AGCivilEng2673-41092025-06-01623210.3390/civileng6020032Applications of UAV Technologies in Assessment of Transportation Infrastructure SystemsAhmad Akib Uz Zaman0Ahmed Abdelaty1Mohamed S. Yamany2Department of Civil and Architectural Engineering and Construction Management, University of Wyoming, Laramie, WY 82071, USADepartment of Civil and Architectural Engineering and Construction Management, University of Wyoming, Laramie, WY 82071, USADepartment of Civil and Architectural Engineering and Construction Management, University of Wyoming, Laramie, WY 82071, USAAs transportation infrastructure systems continue to expand, the demand for unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) technologies in the assessment of urban infrastructure is expected to grow substantially, due to their strong potential for efficient data collection and post-processing. UAVs offer numerous advantages in infrastructure assessment, including enhanced time and cost efficiency, improved safety, and the ability to capture high-quality data. Furthermore, integrating various data-collecting sensors enhances the versatility of UAVs, enabling the acquisition of diverse data types to support comprehensive infrastructure evaluations. Numerous post-processing software applications utilizing various structure-from-motion (SfM) techniques have been developed, significantly facilitating the assessment process. However, researchers’ efforts to find the potentialities of this technology will be in vain if its applications are not utilized effectively in the practical field. Therefore, this study aims to determine the adaptation condition of UAV technologies in different Department of Transportation (DOT) and Federal Highway Administration (FHWA) agencies to assess transportation infrastructure systems. This study also explores the quantitative analysis of benefits and challenges/barriers, expectations for every UAV and post-processing software, and the cutting-edge features that should be integrated with UAVs to effectively evaluate transportation infrastructure systems. A comprehensive survey form was distributed to all 50 DOTs and the FHWA, and 35 complete responses were recorded from 27 DOTs and the FHWA. The survey results show that 25 agencies currently use UAVs for roads or highways, and 23 DOTs for bridges, confirming these as the most commonly assessed infrastructure systems. The top benefits found in this study include safety, cost effectiveness, and time efficiency (mean ratings: 3.95–4.28), while weather, FAA regulations, and airspace restrictions are the main challenges. Respondents emphasize the need for longer flight times, better automation, and advanced data tools, underscoring growing adoption and highlighting the need to overcome technical, regulatory, and data privacy challenges for optimal UAV integration within transportation infrastructure systems management.https://www.mdpi.com/2673-4109/6/2/32unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV)transportationinfrastructure system assessmentDepartment of Transportation (DOT)Federal Highway Administration (FHWA) |
| spellingShingle | Ahmad Akib Uz Zaman Ahmed Abdelaty Mohamed S. Yamany Applications of UAV Technologies in Assessment of Transportation Infrastructure Systems CivilEng unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) transportation infrastructure system assessment Department of Transportation (DOT) Federal Highway Administration (FHWA) |
| title | Applications of UAV Technologies in Assessment of Transportation Infrastructure Systems |
| title_full | Applications of UAV Technologies in Assessment of Transportation Infrastructure Systems |
| title_fullStr | Applications of UAV Technologies in Assessment of Transportation Infrastructure Systems |
| title_full_unstemmed | Applications of UAV Technologies in Assessment of Transportation Infrastructure Systems |
| title_short | Applications of UAV Technologies in Assessment of Transportation Infrastructure Systems |
| title_sort | applications of uav technologies in assessment of transportation infrastructure systems |
| topic | unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) transportation infrastructure system assessment Department of Transportation (DOT) Federal Highway Administration (FHWA) |
| url | https://www.mdpi.com/2673-4109/6/2/32 |
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