Balfour’s float drone

West Sussex County Council in the UK, in partnership with Balfour Beatty Living Places, is trialling a drone with a slight difference for bridge inspections – it floats. The floatable drone is at work on two bridges - Swan Bridge in Pulborough and Adur Ferry Bridge in Shoreham-By-Sea - saving around €9,230 over the cost of traditional inspections, according to the council and Balfour Beatty.Routine inspections are carried out on all bridges every two years.
September 1, 2017 Read time: 2 mins

West Sussex County Council in the UK, in partnership with 1146 Balfour Beatty Living Places, is trialling a drone with a slight difference for bridge inspections – it floats.

The floatable drone is at work on two bridges - Swan Bridge in Pulborough and Adur Ferry Bridge in Shoreham-By-Sea - saving around €9,230 over the cost of traditional inspections, according to the council and Balfour Beatty.

Routine inspections are carried out on all bridges every two years. Traditionally, inspection work requires traffic management to allow inspectors to safely carry out works at height and over water, causing disruption to the public and road users. The use of drones to review the condition of a bridge reduces potential health and safety risks, as well as dramatically reducing costs, disruption and inconvenience to members of the public by removing the need for traffic management.

Operated by one of Balfour Beatty’s six Civil Aviation Authority licensed drone pilots, each drone is fitted with recording equipment to allow the workforce on the ground to review the condition of the bridge once filming is completed. To make sure the drone is operated safely, a second camera is used to film the drone in action, with an assistant reviewing the safety parameters around the drone in real time.

The drones are also fitted with protective floats to enable them to safely land on water if required, as well as a GPS system to prevent them illegally flying into ‘no fly zones’, such as airport space.

Road Structures

For more information on companies in this article

Related Content

  • Asset management can be optimised with new technology
    August 22, 2013
    An array of asset management technologies and capabilities are now available to help clients optimise infrastructure assessments. Global survey and geotechnical group, Fugro, has signed a multi-year agreement with Dutch pavement consultant, KOAC•NPC. This move will see the firms combine capabilities to undertake highway surface condition contracts in the Netherlands. Under the agreement, Fugro will collect surface condition data using its ARAN road scanning vehicle. KOAC•NPC, will carry out the post pro
    Read More
  • Diamond in the Pearl: China’s Hong Kong-Zhuhai-Macao Bridge complex
    March 8, 2018
    People in the Pearl River Delta are celebrating the Chinese New Year with the imminent opening of the Hong Kong-Zhuhai-Macao Bridge. David Arminas reviews progress. China’s Spring Festival, or Lunar New Year, is celebrated with the usual enthusiasm and spectacular fireworks. But celebrations will be particularly joyous for many people in the southern Pearl River Delta. The soon-to-be-open Hong Kong-Zhuhai-Macao Bridge (HZMB) will slash travel time between the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region, Zhuh
    Read More
  • Recycled organic compost stabilises embankments
    February 21, 2012
    Waste & Resources Action Programme (WRAP) is a UK government-funded body designed to encourage greater resource efficiency. This body completed a trial with contractor Balfour Beatty and the Highways Agency to test the innovative use of recycled organic compost along roadside embankments.
    Read More
  • Balfour Beatty lifts bridge into place over UK’s M54
    May 14, 2014
    In the UK, Balfour Beatty has lifted a new bridge into place over the M54 motorway as part of a €14.56 million (£12 million) project to connect a new high-tech business park to the road network and to provide access for the new Jaguar Land Rover plant. The bridge, which will serve the i54 business park in South Staffordshire, was delivered for Staffordshire County Council, Wolverhampton City Council and South Staffordshire Council, as part of the Midlands Highways Alliance framework.
    Read More

Highlighted Content