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Development of TxDOT UAS Flight Operations Manual, Policy Recommendations, and Initial Application Evaluations

Project Summary

Performance and current state of conditions of civil infrastructure can be determined using close range photogrammetry (CRP) techniques via high-resolution digital cameras mounted on unmanned airborne vehicles (UAVs). This research describes how appropriate use of unmanned aerial systems (UASs) with their UAVs can be integrated with CRPs to help in infrastructure performance assessment. A UAS covers all of the work that a UAV does and makes that work possible through a ground-based controller, a system of communications connecting the UAVs and the controller, and the personnel and guidelines that keep their use functional and safe. Foundational work first covers selection and acquisition of UAS-CRP technologies as well as development of specific guidelines for operation of UAVs. The acquired UAS-CRP will then be studied in infrastructure investigations related to pavement performance and railway track assessments. All these tasks.

What's the Solution?

The final outcome of the research will present a framework and guidelines on how UAS-CRP technology can be used to effectively perform pavement and railway track assessments.

Research Benefits

If proven effective will increase safety with less boots on the ground, reduce survey costs, increase readiness, and help with ease of use and accuracy for transportation infrastructure condition assessment.

Project Number

0-6944

Status

Completed

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Project Details

Start Date

11/7/2016

End Date

4/30/2018

Performing Institution(s)

The University of Texas at Arlington (UTA); Texas A&M University, Corpus Christi; Texas A & M Transportation Institute (TTI)

Research Team

RS: Anand Puppala

Sponsor

Project Manager

Chris Glancy

Contract Specialist

Annette Trevino

Amount Funded

FY17: $570,278
FY18: $200,632

Notes

2016 Transportation Short Course Presentation: https://static.tti.tamu.edu/conferences/tsc16/presentations/design/martin.pdf

Publications from this Project

Page:

Publications Note

See Implementation project report 5-6944-01-1.

More TxDOT Projects Like This

Functional Area

Planning and Environmental

Index Terms

Drone aircraft
Inspection
Structural health monitoring
Pavement performance

Lead University

UTA

Researcher

Puppala, Anand J.

Geographic name

Arlington, Tex.
Corpus Christi, Tex.

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Comments

kevyn

FY 2018 STIC Implementation Project. (June 20, 2017 TxSTIC meeting Agenda item)

11/5/2018 at 5:52 PM

Helpful?

nugentml

Highlighted in AASHTO's 2018 "Research Impacts: Better – Faster – Cheaper" as a high-value research project https://research.transportation.org/High-Value-Research-Projects/

4/24/2020 at 4:45 PM

Helpful?

kevyn

Related article: Icden, Melinda Mahaffey. “The Sky's the Limit,” Inquiry. University of Texas at Arlington Office of the Vice President for Research, 2019. https://www.uta.edu/inquiry/spring-2019/features/the-skys-the-limit.php

7/20/2021 at 5:09 PM

Helpful?

Record Added:

2/14/2017

Record Updated:

2/8/2024 5:30 AM EST

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