Deploying Drone Technology to Help Inspect Bridge Structures Faster, Safer and More Cost Effectively Observing Bearing Pads and Other Difficult Portions of The Structure to Inspect.

Regulations today require routine inspection of bridge structures for a good reason, they are complex structures that require routine observation and maintenance to ensure public safety. Most inspection practices involve a ground based visual assessment. While these inspection processes are crucial and highly informative, there are some aspects of the bridge that can be difficult to inspect from the ground. We work directly with the few entities that own road ways in the United States and partner with engineering firms to perform bridge inspection observing portions of the structure, such as bearing pads, that would otherwise be challenging to inspect without the use of a sniffer truck.

Interested in learning more about how drones can help you perform bridge inspections over water, heavy traffic, or high structures  faster and more cost effectively than ever before?

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Regulations today require routine inspection of bridge structures for a good reason, they are complex structures that require routine observation and maintenance to ensure public safety. Most inspection practices involve a ground based visual assessment. While these inspection processes are crucial and highly informative, there are some aspects of the bridge that can be difficult to inspect from the ground. We work directly with the few entities that own road ways in the United States and partner with engineering firms to perform bridge inspection observing portions of the structure, such as bearing pads, that would otherwise be challenging to inspect without the use of a sniffer truck.

Deploying drone technology for various applications is our specialty and this resource happens to be a great fit if the process is implemented with the right team. Our drone fleet, consisting of DJI Matrice 210’s and Mavic 2 Pro’s, is capable of inspecting tight spaces beneath the deck, looking straight up at the structure while flying from below, and our zoom capable cameras help us keep a safe distance from the bridge while allowing for detailed review and documentation. Our service is best deployed on high bridge structures, bridges over water ways and high traffic. While it may not be required to specifically inspect portions of the structure, such as bearing pads, it is wise to inspect them regularly to ensure they are sound.

Our process is refined to safely, efficiently and cost effectively gather field documentation of structural conditions and process engineer reports reviewing observations, making recommendations on repairs accordingly. Our team is experienced to handle difficult drone operations safely and our engineers have decades of experience in studying bridge conditions.

In our inspection process, we video the entire inspection to ensure we dont miss everything and provide evidence of our observations. In addition to reviewing everything in the field, we can watch every second of the inspection in the office. We strive to observe shifted or displaced bearing pads, moisture intrusion, stress cracks or hairline fractures, corrosion and other structural damage that effects the structural integrity of the bridge. Bridges can see a lot of expansion and contraction between the different seasons. This movement in the structure causes the bearing pad to have to shift and flex with the structure. If there is too much movement over time, that bearing pad can shift or become displaced, eventually causing the deck to drop in its place leaving the deck slanted.