The US Federal Railroad Administration has published a report on the use of unmanned aircraft systems (UAS) at railroads around the world.
UAS technology is particularly appealing to the railroad industry. Benefits include enhancing inspection capabilities to improve safety and increasing inspection frequencies and efficiencies. Railroads in North America are beginning to use UAS to identify track problems, survey bridges, examine earthworks and rail yards, and to assess rights-of-way following storms and natural disasters . Unmanned Aerial Vehicles (UAV) are also being used by railroads around the world to perform large scale operations, such as aerial photography, surveying and maintenance assessment.
This report summarizes current uses of UAS in railroad applications with details provided on use cases from Europe and Israel. Based on a literature review and interviews with several larger agencies, it was determined that UAS operations in international railroads are generally focused on similar use cases as those focused on in North America:
As a backdrop to uses by international railroads, the report highlights the global UAS market outlook, as well as regulations that influence the use of this technology around the world. Finally, the report provides an overview of issues related to Beyond Visual Line of Sight operations that will affect the use of UAS in railroad applications.
The Full Report can be accessed here.
Source: Press Release