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Do you want to know what’s changing everything in infrastructure inspections?
Thousands of bridges, power lines, and other critical structures across the country need inspecting every day. Traditional infrastructure inspections are expensive, dangerous, and time-consuming.
That’s all about to change.
Infrastructure maintenance companies are now using drone technology solutions to dramatically improve the safety and cost of infrastructure inspection and maintenance. Drones are quickly becoming the solution of choice for forward-thinking companies.
In this post we’ll cover:
- Why Infrastructure Inspections Matter Today
- The Transformative Power of Drone Technology Solutions
- Drastically Reduced Costs and Improved Safety
- Drone Technology Solutions In Action Today
- The Next Frontier In Infrastructure Maintenance
Why Infrastructure Inspections Matter Today
Okay, let’s be honest with each other here for a minute…
America’s infrastructure is aging. Bridges and overpasses built many decades ago are starting to show signs of wear. Power lines need monitoring and maintenance. Our current approach to inspection just isn’t sustainable.
Picture this scenario: a bridge inspector has to stand under an overpass with hundreds of cars whizzing past while they inspect for damage. Or a power line technician has to go up close to a high-voltage conductor to assess the condition of the line.
It’s not only uncomfortable. It’s dangerous work.
The other problem? These traditional methods take a long time. For important critical structure, the delay of a traditional inspection can mean disaster.
That’s the fundamental problem. As the size, scale, and scope of our infrastructure grows, we need inspection methods that keep pace. That’s where drone technology solutions come into play.
The Transformative Power of Drone Technology Solutions
Before we go any further, here’s some secret information with you…
Drones aren’t just making infrastructure inspections easier. They are fundamentally changing the way the work is done. Traditional inspection methods and drone-based inspections are completely different approaches.
Safety comes first. Instead of sending your employees into harm’s way, you get detailed, high-quality data from a safe distance. There’s no more having to setup scaffolding on the side of a busy interstate.
It’s faster too. An inspection that took days can be completed in a matter of hours. A drone can quickly cover huge areas and capture images and thermal data for analysis.
Better data quality as well. Modern drones are equipped with high-resolution cameras and sensors. This data is so detailed that your inspectors can often see problems that a traditional inspection might have missed.
Best of all…
Costs are coming down while the capabilities are going through the roof. The early adopters in this space are seeing these returns the moment they make the switch.
Drastically Reduced Costs and Improved Safety
What do the numbers look like when it comes to safety and cost savings?
Drones can reduce inspection costs by 74% according to the American Association of State Highway and Transportation Officials. This isn’t just a nice-to-have improvement. This is a business-changer.
But it’s not only about the money. Safety benefits of using drones are even more compelling. According to the American Society of Mechanical Engineers, the safety improvements of drone inspections have lowering accident risk by up to 91%.
It’s all starting to add up.
Switching from traditional inspection methods to drones allows companies to offer higher quality data, safer work environments, and much lower costs to their customers.
Consider how an entire infrastructure inspection process might look. Traditional bridge inspections often require lane closures, traffic control, and the rental of expensive equipment such as bucket trucks or scaffolding. A typical single bridge inspection using these methods can cost $4,600.
Add up the costs for all of the bridges and other infrastructure components in your region. Then ask yourself if you could switch to a new method that would cut these costs by three-quarters. Could your business survive that?
Companies are discovering that high-quality US-made drones offer the reliability and precision needed for critical infrastructure work. When you’re dealing with power lines, bridges, or industrial facilities, you need equipment you can trust.
A future with drones has lower costs, improved safety, and higher quality data across the entire inspection process.
Drone Technology Solutions In Action Today
Bridge Inspections
State Department of Transportation and local municipalities are some of the biggest users of drone technology solutions for infrastructure. Instead of lane closures and inspectors in precarious positions, drones are being used to capture detailed images of bridge and overpass surfaces and structures.
Results? Day-long inspections that take hours with no traffic disruption.
Power Line Monitoring
Utility companies are also making heavy use of drones for inspecting transmission lines. These lines can be thousands of miles long and are in constant need of monitoring.
Inspections using drones can capture high-resolution imagery of the entire line as well as monitor for issues such as vegetation encroachment, damaged insulators, or other potential failure points before a more serious outage occurs.
The results can be massive when it comes to preventing an outage and mitigating repair costs.
Industrial Facility Inspections
Refineries, chemical plants, and large-scale manufacturing facilities also find value in using drones for equipment inspections. These facilities are often using drones to inspect equipment while it’s still in operation.
No shutdowns needed. No increased risk to employees.
Wind Turbine Inspection
Wind farms cover thousands of acres and have turbines that are often hundreds of feet in the air. Traditional inspections of these structures require very specialized equipment and involve serious risk to the inspectors.
Now? Drones are able to inspect multiple turbines in a day. All without leaving the ground.
Infrastructure Inspection Made Easy With Drone Technology Solutions
Infrastructure inspection is a rapidly growing market for drone technology solutions. As more and more organizations discover the safety and cost benefits, the adoption rates for drones are only going to continue to increase.
The industry is maturing fast and smart companies are making changes today to future-proof their business for tomorrow.
The Next Frontier In Infrastructure Maintenance
But don’t think that this is the final frontier when it comes to drone infrastructure inspections. Companies are also now exploring more automated systems.
Autonomous drones that fly pre-programmed inspection routes and capture data can be used in areas where manned flights aren’t cost effective.
AI-enabled data analysis of images and thermal data gathered by drones is also getting more sophisticated.
This is only the beginning. Infrastructure maintenance and inspection companies should plan on adopting drone technology solutions in some form or another within the next few years.
If you’re not making those plans today, you may soon be left behind.
Start building your drone inspection program today
If you’re ready to build a program for using drones for infrastructure inspections and maintenance, now is a great time to start planning.
Find a provider with a good reputation who also can help you understand and navigate the relevant regulatory landscape. Don’t wait for drone tech to “get better” first. It’s good enough already.
Challenge yourself to think big and identify a few projects that will have a major impact. Start small if you have to. Just start today.
Wrapping It All Up
In this article we covered:
- Traditional Infrastructure Inspection Is Costly, Dangerous, and Slow
- Drone Technology Solutions Are Changing All Of This
- Huge Safety and Cost Improvements
- Drone Infrastructure Inspections Happening Right Now
- Drone Technology Solutions Are The Future of Infrastructure Inspection and Maintenance
Infrastructure inspection and maintenance is being completely transformed by drone technology solutions. The benefits of improved data, lower costs, and much safer inspections for critical structures are too good to pass up.
Companies are already reporting dramatic improvements when they switch to drones. 74% reductions in the cost of inspections. 91% reductions in the safety risk to employees.
America’s infrastructure needs monitoring and maintenance. The scale of this work is massive and traditional methods can’t keep up.
Drone technology solutions provide the answer. Big picture thinking, safer work environments, and lower costs mean every organization should be making a plan to get started today.
