A Holistic Approach for Visualization of Transportation Infrastructure Assets Using UAV-CRP Technology

Modern data analysis and visualization make it possible for engineers and practitioners to holistically perceive the details of sites and the performance of transportation infrastructures. Advancements in the field of unmanned vehicles, complemented by the development of portable sensors, have paved the way for unmanned aerial platforms mounted with sensors, such as visible range, thermal, and hyper-spectral cameras for collecting infrastructure performance data. A research study was performed to monitor various transportation infrastructure sites, using unmanned aerial vehicles close-range photogrammetry (UAV-CRP). Images were geotagged, using data from a highly accurate real-time kinematic global navigation satellite system (GNSS) to develop orthomosaics, dense point clouds, and three-dimensional mapping products. An aerial data collection provides safe access to areas that are usually inaccessible, such as under bridges, steep and unstable slopes, and others, and can be leveraged by three-dimensional printing technology to obtain the accurate size and shape of the structural elements that are needed for repair and rehabilitation of the infrastructure. The holistic approach provided in this paper will facilitate the development of infrastructure visualization models that will provide vital understanding of the condition of the transportation infrastructure.