ABSTRACT
In recent years, technology has made it possible for us to have a better view and understanding of existing conditions. One such aspect is the use of Unmanned Aircraft Systems (UAS) and Photogrammetry to create photorealistic reality models, which have yielded significant benefits by allowing inspectors, bridge maintenance personnel, and engineers to have a clearer view of what is happening on critical infrastructure and to also perform many of the tasks virtually that would have previously required expensive travel, access equipment, and manual labor. Not to mention the impact on the normal operations of a transportation infrastructure asset (reduced availability and safety). In this paper, we will provide a demonstration of these capabilities and how Transportation Owners and Engineering Firms are starting to apply them on projects to see tangible benefits in terms of costs, time, environmental impact, and safety.
