Systematic Literature Review of Drone Utility in Railway Condition Monitoring

Askarzadeh, Taraneh; Bridgelall, Raj; Tolliver, Denver

doi:10.1061/jtepbs.teeng-7726

Cited by 5 publications

(7 citation statements)

References 72 publications

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“…Procedures to handle lost-link situations are crucial to prevent drone hazards during communication losses. Assets must also incorporate drones into their safety management systems, requiring comprehensive risk evaluation and synchronization with current processes [3].…”

Section: Operational and Systems Integration Challengesmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…UAVs, also known as drones, are becoming increasingly prevalent across all sectors of industry. Specifically, transportation researchers have recognized the advantages of using drones to monitor linear assets such as roadways [2], railways [3], bridges [4], and waterway utilities [5]. While the monitoring of these linear assets is well established, there has been a lack of focus on nodal assets, which are critical hubs in transportation networks where efficiency and security are paramount.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

See 1 more Smart Citation

Monitoring Nodal Transportation Assets with Uncrewed Aerial Vehicles: A Comprehensive Review

Askarzadeh,

Bridgelall,

Tolliver

2024

Drones

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Using Uncrewed Aerial Vehicles (UAVs) to monitor the condition of nodal transportation assets—airports, seaports, heliports, vertiports, and cargo terminals—presents a transformative approach to traditional inspection methods. The focus on nodal assets rather than linear assets like roads, railways, bridges, and waterways fills a gap in addressing the dynamic challenges specific to transportation hubs. This study reviews scholarly literature on applying UAV-based remote sensing (URS) techniques to assess the condition of various transportation hubs, which are critical junctures in global logistics networks. Utilizing a systematic literature review framework, this study reviewed 486 publications from 2015 to 2023 to extract insights from the evolving discourse on URS applications. The findings suggest that these emerging methods resulted in substantial enhancements in time saving, cost efficiency, safety, and reliability. Specifically, this study presents evidence on how URS approaches can overcome the constraints of conventional inspection methods by enabling rapid, high-precision mapping and surveillance in complex and constrained environments. The findings highlight the role of UAVs in enhancing operational workflows and decision making in transportation planning and maintenance. By bridging the gap between traditional practices and innovative technology, this research offers significant implications for stakeholders in the field, advocating for a shift towards more dynamic, cost-effective, and precise asset management strategies.

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Section: Operational and Systems Integration Challengesmentioning

confidence: 99%

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Monitoring Nodal Transportation Assets with Uncrewed Aerial Vehicles: A Comprehensive Review

Askarzadeh,

Bridgelall,

Tolliver

2024

Drones

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“…Through rigorous lab-scale experiments and extensive real-field validations, we have showcased that our approach achieves accuracy on par with conventional displacement measurement sensors, while simultaneously providing superior flexibility, reduced cost, and ease of onsite installation. Our proposed methodology holds great potential for widespread use in a variety of fields, including infrastructures, heavy industry plants, and construction sites, and is primed to make a significant impact in the expansive field of drone inspection 48,49 . Last but not least, this research holds immense potential for future autonomous inspections, reducing human intervention and improving efficiency.…”

Section: Demonstrations Of Measurement Accuracy Verificationmentioning

confidence: 99%

Drone-based displacement measurement of infrastructures utilizing phase information

Ri,

Ye,

Toyama

et al. 2024

Nat Commun

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Drone-based inspections provide an efficient and flexible approach to assessing aging infrastructures while prioritizing safety. Here, we present a pioneering framework that employs drone cameras for high-precision displacement measurement and achieves sub-millimeter accuracy, meeting the requirements for on-site inspections. Inspired by the principles of human auditory equilibrium, we have developed an effective scheme using a group of strategical reference markers on the bridge girders to measure structural displacements in the bridge. Our approach integrates the phase-based sampling moiré technique with four degrees-of-freedom geometric modeling to accurately delineate the desired bridge displacements from camera motion-induced displacements. The proposed scheme demonstrates favorable precision with accuracy reaching up to 1/100th of a pixel. Real-world validations further confirmed the reliability and efficiency of this technique, making it a practical tool for bridge displacement measurement. Beyond its current applications, this methodology holds promise as a foundational element in shaping the landscape of future autonomous infrastructure inspection systems.

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“…Drones also emerged as an alternative type of connected vehicle to implement systemwide multimodal infrastructure condition monitoring. Askarzadeh et al (2023) recently conducted an extensive systematic literature review of drone utility in railway condition monitoring [27]. The research found that key motivations for using drones are to reduce costs, improve safety, save time, improve mobility, increase flexibility, and enhance reliability.…”

Section: Connected Vehiclesmentioning

confidence: 99%

Driving Standardization in Infrastructure Monitoring: A Role for Connected Vehicles

Bridgelall

2023

Vehicles

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This study tackles the urgent need for efficient condition monitoring of road and rail infrastructure, which is integral to a nation’s economic vitality. Traditional methods proved both costly and inadequate, resulting in network gaps and accelerated infrastructure decay. Employing connected vehicles with integrated sensors and cloud computing capabilities can provide a cost-effective, sustainable solution for comprehensive infrastructure monitoring. In advocating for international standardization, this study furnishes compelling evidence—encompassing trends in transportation, economics, and patent landscapes—that underscores the necessity and advantages of such standards. The analysis confirmed that trucks and rail will remain dominant in freight transport as infrastructure limitations intensify. A noteworthy finding is the absence of patented solutions in this domain, which simplifies the path toward global standardization. By integrating data from diverse sources, agencies can optimize maintenance triggers and allocate funds more strategically, thus preserving vital transportation networks. These insights not only offer an effective alternative to current practices but also have the potential to influence policymaking and industry standards for infrastructure monitoring.

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Systematic Literature Review of Drone Utility in Railway Condition Monitoring

Cited by 5 publications

References 72 publications

Monitoring Nodal Transportation Assets with Uncrewed Aerial Vehicles: A Comprehensive Review

Monitoring Nodal Transportation Assets with Uncrewed Aerial Vehicles: A Comprehensive Review

Drone-based displacement measurement of infrastructures utilizing phase information

Driving Standardization in Infrastructure Monitoring: A Role for Connected Vehicles

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