Synthesis of Capabilities, Opportunities, and Research Needs in UAS Technology for High-Precision Bridge Inspection

Technologies to perform bridge inspections are rapidly advancing, highlighting the need for transportation agencies to explore their potential use for bridge inspection work. This project will examine how unmanned aircraft systems can improve the safety, efficiency and quality of various types of bridge inspections. Researchers will identify barriers to implementation as well as develop recommendations for effective use in Illinois Department of Transportation (IDOT) bridge inspections. Effectively using new bridge inspection technologies will allow IDOT to make better decisions in contracting inspection work and buying inspection equipment, allowing the agency to inspect, repair and load rate bridges more accurately and with less interference to traffic.

Language

• English

Project

• Status: Active
• Funding: $64,997.00
• Contract Numbers:

  R27-SP77

• Sponsor Organizations:

  Illinois Department of Transportation

  Bureau of Materials and Physical Research
  126 East Ash Street
  Springfield, IL  United States  62704-4766
• Managing Organizations:

  University of Illinois, Urbana-Champaign

  Illinois Center for Transportation
  1611 Titan Drive
  Rantoul, IL  United States  61866
• Performing Organizations:

  University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign

  Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering
  Urbana, IL  United States  61801
• Principal Investigators:

  Alipour, Mohamad

  Fahnestock, Larry

  Golparvar-Fard, Mani

• Start Date: 20250916
• Expected Completion Date: 20260615
• Actual Completion Date: 0
• USDOT Program: Research and Development

Subject/Index Terms

• TRT Terms: Bridges; Drones; Inspection; Recommendations
• Identifier Terms: Illinois Department of Transportation
• Subject Areas: Bridges and other structures; Highways; Maintenance and Preservation;

Filing Info

• Accession Number: 01965650
• Record Type: Research project
• Source Agency: Illinois Department of Transportation
• Contract Numbers: R27-SP77
• Files: RIP, STATEDOT
• Created Date: Sep 16 2025 10:43AM