Study on the work efficiency of general inspection of railway concrete structures using UAV

Abstract

 This study conducted a questionnaire survey targeting railway operators to understand the actual state of maintenance management. It examined the implementation status of special general inspections and the adoption status and usage scenarios of UAVs, which have recently been utilized in various locations. The results revealed that nearly 40% of operators have introduced UAVs. However, it was also found that technical challenges exist due to unclear cost-effectiveness and the lack of specified shooting conditions. Therefore, we proposed a photography workflow to capture defects with specified accuracy using DSLR digital cameras or digital cameras mounted on UAVs. We conducted photography on an actual bridge. The results showed that image analysis using UAV-captured images improved work efficiency by nearly twofold compared to general inspection methods.