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TRB Webinar: Implementation of Uncrewed Aerial Systems (UAS) into Transportation Infrastructure Inspection

April 30, 2025

1:00 PM - 2:30 PM (EDT)

Past

Topics

The capabilities of uncrewed aerial systems (UAS), or “drones,” have advanced rapidly, making them increasingly practical for transportation agencies. TRB hosted a webinar on Wednesday, April 30, 2025 from 1:00 PM to 2:30 PM Eastern that shared leading applications of UAS to help provide safe and efficient infrastructure assessment capabilities. One of these applications is enhancing the safety and efficiency of infrastructure inspections. Presenters shared three case studies: one on bridge inspection, another on airport pavement inspection, and a third on construction modeling.

This webinar featured research from NCHRP Research Report 1114: Uncrewed Aerial Systems Applications for Bridge Inspections: Element-Level Bridge Data Collection, NCHRP Synthesis 578: Use of Unmanned Aerial Systems for Highway Construction, and NCHRP Domestic Scan 17-01: Successful Approaches tor the Use of Unmanned Aerial Systems by Surface Transportation Agencies.

This webinar was sponsored by TRB’s National Cooperative Highway Research Program and the Standing Technical Committee on New Users of Shared Airspace.

The slides are available. Please contact trbwebinar@nas.edu for a link to the recording. There may be a $90 fee.

Webinar agenda and presenters

  1. Eyes in the sky: Unlocking airfield pavement inspection with sUAS – Halil Ceylan, Iowa State University

  2. UAS for construction inspection and building information modeling – Reihaneh Samsami, University of New Haven

  3. UAS have changed Ohio DOT bridge inspection – Jamie Davis, Ohio Department of Transportation

  4. Question and answer session moderated by Colin Brooks, Michigan Technological University

The first 60 minutes of the webinar were for presentations and the final 30 minutes were reserved for audience questions.

Learning Objectives

At the end of this webinar, participants can:

  1. Leverage UAS technology to assist infrastructure inspection

  2. Identify how UAS technology deployment can help reduce time and costs and increase safety for inspections

  3. Understand which sensors and platforms are being used for infrastructure inspection

Professional Development Hours

This webinar was delivered as a scheduled – e-learning live event and is categorized within RCEP as Technical, Health and Safety.

Professional Development Hours (PDHs) earned on completion of this program were reported to the Registered Continuing Education Program (RCEP). Certificates of Completion are issued to all participants via the RCEP.net online system. Complaints about registered providers may be addressed to RCEP, 1015 15th Street, NW, 8th Fl., Washington, DC, 20005.

Disclaimer

It is essential to the National Academies mission of providing evidence-based advice that participants in any of our meetings or events avoid political or partisan statements or commentary and maintain a culture of mutual respect. The statements and presentations during our meetings or events are solely those of the individual participants and do not necessarily represent the views of other participants or the National Academy of Sciences, which is a non-partisan, tax exempt organization that includes under its Charter the National Academy of Engineering and National Academy of Medicine, and that operates the National Research Council.

Organizers

Major units and sub-units

Transportation Research Board

Primary

National Cooperative Highway Research Program

Primary

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