UAS Inspections of Critical Infrastructure | 2017 Resilience Challenge Grant

The Pacific Northwest Economic Region (PNWER) and its Center for Regional Disaster Resilience (CRDR) in partnership with Northeastern University’s Global Resilience Institute (GRI) were awarded a 2017 National Infrastructure Protection Plan (NIPP) Security and Resilience Challenge grant for critical infrastructure. The project sought to develop technologies for UAS (drone) employment to technically inspect critical infrastructure in post disaster scenarios. Read the project description here. 

Project Description

The Gap

​There is a need for rapid damage assessment of critical infrastructure immediately following a disaster. Emerging UAS technology is allowing for an expedited and detailed damage assessment of infrastructure such as bridges and other steel and concrete structures within the built environment.

Project Scope

​This project investigated the technical capabilities of UAS to enhance the efficiency, fidelity, speed and safety of current critical infrastructure inspection methods by using machine intelligence. The policy, legislative and regulatory opportunities and hurdles were also identified.

Outcomes

Development of a regional UAS working group

• ​Users Group Proposal
• Join Users Group

Inventory of activity in Washington State

• Inventory Summary
• ​Survey (click here to participate)

Technical guides and references for attendees by Northeastern University's Global Resilience Institute

• Rapid Automated Damage Detection with Autonomous Robots Project

Events and Reports

Project Wrap-up: Critical Infrastructure Inspection Project
Using Drone to Detect Damage to Bridges Workshop
When: December 13, 2018
Where: Puget Sound Area
More information HERE
Report HERE

Establishing a Professional Micro-Aviation (Drone) Program
When: October 23, 2018
Where: Webinar
More information HERE
Report HERE

Exploring Government and Private Sector Applications of UAS/Drones in Washington
When: June 28, 2018
Where: Lakewood, Washington
More information HERE
Report HERE

2018 Pacific Northwest Disaster Resilience Symposium
When: July 23, 2018
Where: Spokane, Washington
More information HERE
Report HERE

Contacts

​Eric Holdeman, Director, CRDR, 
253-376-6683,  eric.holdeman@pnwer.org

​Philip Anderson, PhD, Associate Director for Research and Innovation, GRI, 
(703) 772-0132, p.anderson@northeastern.edu