States are using Unmanned Aerial Systems (UAS) to enhance their program and project delivery to great success.

The West Virginia Division of Highways (WVDOH) has completed over 500 flight missions including mapping, reconnaissance, and construction inspection. WVDOH currently is piloting the use of UAS on three large construction projects. On the first project—a four lane divided highway on a new alignment— WVDOH is using UAS on a regular flight schedule for material estimation. Often, access to large construction sites is limited and dangerous due to earth moving techniques and equipment.  The UAS data-gathering flights can be performed in a fraction of the time it would take a field survey crew. In most cases, the UAS are only in flight for 30 minutes or less and can be launched and viewed from a secure and safe location.

In another case, the West Virginia Department of Commerce wanted to spotlight a high-profile project featuring changing traffic patterns. WVDOT used UAS footage to produce videos showing project progress, which have proven to be very effective for public outreach.

In a third project—another four lane highway on new alignment that goes through a portion of a national forest —WVDOH has begun collecting data through UAS to share project impacts and progression with resource agencies while reducing the number of visitors inside the construction zone. The team is leveraging artificial intelligence to control the flight of the drone over a seven-mile path following the proposed new centerline of the road. Periodic flights will follow this path throughout the project’s life. The information provided by these flights will reassure stakeholders that the project’s impacts meet expectations while working in the national forest.

To learn how your agency can effectively use UAS, please contact James Gray or John Haynes with the EDC-5 UAS team.

For more on Unmanned Aerial Systems – https://www.fhwa.dot.gov/innovation/everydaycounts/edc_5/uas.cfm. 

About EDC

Every Day Counts, a state-based initiative of the Federal Highway Administration’s Center for Accelerating Innovation, works with state, local and private sector partners to encourage the adoption of proven technologies and innovations to shorten and enhance project delivery.