Automated UAV-based framework for structural health monitoring of dams and culverts Available to Purchase

Dams and culverts monitoring and maintenance work is vital for water management, flood risk mitigation, and public safety. Conventional methods are arduous, protracted, and pose safety threats to workers. There was a need to design an integrated unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV)-based framework for the maintenance of culverts and dams. This paper presents a UAV-based integrated conceptual framework for structural health monitoring of hydraulic structures and systems. The framework consists of five elements: mission design, data collection, data processing, decision making support, and feedback mechanisms. Using UAVs equipped with LiDAR (light detection and ranging), thermal, and multispectral cameras, remote and accurate assessments of structures and landscapes can be conducted, with improved inspection accuracy, reliability, and operational safety, and with artificial intelligence-based maintenance scheduling. The framework is evaluated through return on investment and SWOT (strengths, weaknesses, opportunities, and threats) analyses. Based on benchmarks drawn from the existing literature, the framework demonstrates potential for cost reductions up to 50% and inspection time savings of 40%. The framework enhances safety, predictive maintenance, and climate-resilient infrastructure management, transforming traditional inspection into proactive, data-driven strategies.