Engineers and policymakers recently partnered with AERAS, a Pittsburgh-based drone technology company, to scan bridges to identify infrastructure and stability issues.
AERAS specializes in infrastructure and public safety, exterior building and window treatments, agriculture, and commercial sanitization.
Drones can scan a bridge safely and thoroughly in less than 30 minutes using precision LiDAR and photogrammetry capabilities. Thousands of data points and high-definition photos are compiled to assist engineers and inspectors in having a more accurate picture of a bridge’s condition.
“Our drones’ precision imaging capabilities can show functional compromises or infrastructure stressors,” Justin Melanson, AERAS co-founder and chief innovation officer, said. “From a time efficiency and safety standpoint, drones are the perfect partner to add to the bridge evaluation process. AERAS has the expertise and ability to evaluate 300 bridges in the next 30 days.”
Melanson also serves as the Pennsylvania Department of Transportation’s (PennDOT) Economic Development UAS Task Force chairman.
PennDOT reports 175 bridges in Allegheny County are considered in poor condition. This means they have advanced deterioration of their primary structural elements. One of those bridges, the 447-foot-span Fern Hollow Bridge in Frick Park, collapsed in January and injured 10 people.
The collapse highlighted deteriorating infrastructure in the national media.