Program for Sustainable Pavement Engineering and Research

About the research

The use of small uncrewed aircraft systems (sUAS), more commonly referred to as drones, equipped with a variety of sensors, has been experiencing significant growth in many application areas. However, there are research needs to be addressed in understanding the use and value of data collected with sUAS for achieving the beneficial uses of sUAS in transportation and infrastructure work. The primary objective of this study is to develop, test, and demonstrate how sUAS technology could be deployed and implemented in various transportation- and infrastructure-related work of interest to the Iowa Department of Transportation (DOT) and local road agencies (i.e., Iowa counties and cities). The overall research approach proposed by the Iowa State University team, in close partnership with the Michigan Technological University team, involves conducting a set of five pilot project studies of interest for the Iowa DOT and local road agencies. These are (1) to develop as-built plans, (2) to conduct a low-cost, sUAS-based traffic monitoring system demonstration, (3) to quantify erosion control features, and (4) and (5) use sUAS technologies for two specific functions/activities of interest to Johnson County and/or other Iowa counties (e.g., ground mapping/design surveys, drainage damage inspection, gravel/unpaved road condition assessment, bridge inspection). One of the key outcomes of this overall study is to develop best practice guides that Iowa DOT and local road agencies could use for selecting and using sUAS platforms, sensor technologies, and data processing methods in their transportation- and infrastructure-related work. The expected outcomes of this research effort will be of great benefit to Iowa DOT and local road agencies, as the results will include more cost-effective, efficient, and safe ways for designing, building, maintaining, and operating transportation infrastructure systems while increasing safety and decreasing cost.