Aerial inspection
Counting birds and animals
For preservation of animal species, it’s important to know exact number of species that is observed. Knowing the number of animals observed species makes it easier to preserve their habitats and increase efectivity of comunity that takes care of preservation of animal species.
Counting birds, among above mentioned reasons, is important to detect climate changes, level of pollution, loss of habitats, seasonal migration changes…
Counting birds is a challenging task, but there is several methods of counting birds. Chosing method for given assignment highly depends on observed bird species, habitats, flock and individual behaviour.
Utility breaches
As the regulation gets tighter, new utility breaches arise. Best examples are illegal construction, unregistered garbage dumping sites which are getting more common in big cities, but also rural areas. Prevention, as the best method of dealing with utility breaches, isn't always possible in reality. Therefore, usage of UAVs is easy, fast and effective way of surveying vast areas and determine utility breaches. Volume and surface of suspected area, aquired by UAVs and processed data, greatly increases chances and effectivity in finding all kind of utility breaches.
Dam inspection
Infrastructure that prevents floods can be inspected and examined by using images, videos and processed data collected by UAVs. For example, disregarding the need for inspection of dams can lead to catastrophic events and flooded areas.
On time reaction can prevent those events but for such prevention periodic inspection is crucial. Using UAVs with right sensors possibility for effective inspection of large dam surfaces increases. Except for visual display of area, processed data can be great base for decisions that have to be made to increase safety of observed dams. It goes without saying that usage of UAVs reduces safety risk and there is less unreachable areas than going on foot.
Powerline inspection
Without electricity everyday life would be unimaginable, but do we take it for granted? Of course we do! We are used to it and we don’t think how hard it is to build system that transfers electricity to our homes and work places. Power lines do exactly that – transfer electricity to far areas and have to be maintaned. Inspection of power lines can be done by UAVs with right sensors. Inspection of one power line pillar is shown on videos below. Using three cameras at the same time help qualified personnel to inspect power lines and determine the level of deterioration.
Optical and thermal camera is used to inspect pillars of power line and results are in video, photo and thermal maps format which can be reviewed afterwards as many times as it is needed. LIDAR is used to inspect surface beneath power lines and distance of cables to the surface.
Usage of optical, thermal and LIDAR outputs gives qualified personnel more time to inspect and determine which type of work has to be done regarding maintenance of power lines without endangering them during inspection.
Bridge inspection
Bridge inspection using UAVs is overall more effective and viable solution for identification of damages, characteristics and performance deterioration. Therefore, inspections are more frequent which improves maintenance and safety of bridges and extends their lifetime.
Usual way of brigde inspection is complicated, long lasting and expensive because it requires special equipment so that qualified personnel would be able to access surfaces underneath the bridge. Even with right equipment, there are always places that can’t be reached and examined underneath the bridge. Trying to reach those places to achieve quality inspection, personnel are exposed to greater risks which can be avoided using UAVs.
