Researchers Provide Roadmap for Drone Use in Infrastructure Monitoring

Posted: Sep 16, 2024

Research at North Dakota State University promises to revolutionize both road and rail infrastructure monitoring with the use of drone technology. Researchers created a propulsion efficiency index as an objective measure to evaluate drone technology and compare performance. The work will help guide decisions regarding implementation of the technology, which will make defect identification faster, safer, and more cost-effective, thereby enhancing operational efficiency and safety. Collectively, these advancements stand to significantly improve maintenance practices, reduce accident rates, and bolster the resilience and efficiency of multimodal transportation systems.

Raj Bridgelall, Ph.D.
North Dakota State University

Denver Tolliver, Ph.D.
North Dakota State University

Remote Sensing of Multimodal Transportation Assets Using Drones
MPC-24-513