State departments of transportation use drones for construction-related tasks and face challenges related to new allowable drone manufacturers.
By far the most common construction use is for road construction, particularly road widening, repair, and rerouting, as some states are tackling entirely new roads right now for both budget and capacity reasons. Drone tasks also include material volume moved and stockpile monitoring, bridge replacement and repair, and railroad expansion track for new lines. Each state has its own uses as well. Construction takes place in both rural and urban areas, each with its own set of challenges.
Different states structure drone management differently. Some manage drones from a central aviation office, deploying as needed on request; while, in others, functional departments manage their own drone program. In at least one state, drones are “owned” by individual pilots who fly on request. More
