November 14, 2024
Flying Forward: MassDOT’s UAS Integration Success
The Massachusetts Department of Transportation (MassDOT) has demonstrated that Unmanned Aerial Systems (UAS) technology improves safety and are effective in supporting bridge inspections, land area management, and construction monitoring. Building on its success and industry advances, MassDOT is taking an innovative approach to optimize infrastructure management.
In 2021, MassDOT received a $1,000,000 Accelerated Innovation Demonstration (AID) Demonstration award to deploy the MassDOT Unmanned Aerial Systems Data Analytics & Cybersecurity Program Alpha for Surface Transportation Projects. This project represents the first stage of a three-phase project, using UAS to create a digital software systems infrastructure.
With this project, MassDOT began an incremental approach intended to build the infrastructure for tasking UASs, collecting, analyzing and sharing data to enable MassDOT to capitalize on these advances. Under this project, the MassDOT Aeronautics Division used UAS to bolster MassDOT Highway Division operations to support highway resource management. The project integrated UAS operations to augment highway design, construction, maintenance, and the operation of highways, bridges, and tunnels.
Specifically, for UAS operations management, MassDOT created digital workflows and integrated UAS fleet management. This enables timely response to highway division needs, and ensure that MassDOT is safely and effectively using resources. This capability helps assure UAS requests are being promptly satisfied and tracked. Finally, the system will support flight operations by tracking planning, approval, and flight logging.
In the realm of UAS sensor data storage and analysis, the team created an automated system that assures data can be securely ingested, filtered for privacy concerns, and appropriately indexed. The project also created the ability to retrieve data through an API for future analysis, dissemination, and integration into other systems.
Finally, with respect to secure UAS data dissemination, the project created the infrastructure that allows for discovery and sharing of data products while also assuring MassDOT has the ability to provide appropriate access control to the collected data.
One lesson learned from this deployment is that while the influx of new data is useful, integrating with older existing systems can prove challenging. Compatibility, data security, and data volume are all potential hurdles that must be considered by any agency expanding data collection in this way. Overall, MassDOT's efforts exemplify a commitment to innovative, technology-driven solutions that enhance public safety and operational efficiency, serving as a national model for improving surface transportation management.
On November 1, 2024, FHWA announced that MassDOT was awarded another AID Demonstration grant for the second phase MassDOT Unmanned Aerial Systems Data Analytics & Cybersecurity Program Project – Bravo, focusing on automation, artificial intelligence, and machine learning. This project will help MassDOT and other transportation agencies predict infrastructure issues before they become serious by integrating UAS data with AI and machine learning.
To learn more about this MassDOT UAS program, please contact Sinan Abood, MassDOT Aeronautics Division data and analytics team leader. Additionally, you can read more in articles featured in Drone Life or Roads&Bridges. To learn more about AID Demonstration and how it can do to help your agency deploy innovative technologies such as these, please contact Fawn Thompson, FHWA.
$7.6 Million in AID Demonstration Grants Accelerate Innovation in Highway Projects
FHWA has announced $7.6 million in AID Demonstration grants to promote state-of-the-art technology in new standards and construction to accelerate construction. Grants were awarded on nine projects in eight States across the country.
AID Demonstration grants support Tribal Governments, State Departments of Transportation (DOTs), Federal land management agencies, and local governments to deploy technology and innovative processes in construction programs including to help reduce project delivery timelines. The grants fund innovations like innovative debris removal, enhanced work zone safety, integrating technology to support emergency responders, using drones to conduct infrastructure inspections, and improving bridge design and developing more sustainable materials. Some of the awards include:
The Indiana Department of Transportation will advance work zone safety and combat high speeds by deploying a worksite speed control system to monitor up to four concurrently active construction work zones.
The West Virginia Department of Transportation will use Orthotropic Steel Deck (OSD) technology to replace and restore the Purgitsville Bridge – a heavily used bridge in a rural portion of Hampshire County that has significant deficiencies requiring bridge deck replacement. Using OSD technology for this replacement offers an efficient and cost-effective solution that extends the bridge service life, improves safety and traffic mobility during construction.
The Wyoming Department of Trasnportation (WYDOT) will install a radar-based avalanche detection system for US 191/1-89, a vital transportation route for residents and visitors in Jackson, Wyoming. This system will greatly improve WYDOT’s avalanche warning accuracy, mitigation measures, and decision-making.
Since the program was launched in February 2014, FHWA has awarded more than $103.4 million for 136 grants. Learn more about this year’s awards in this FHWA press release. To learn more about the AID Demonstration program, please contact Fawn Thompson, FHWA.
Celebrating STIC’s Impact on State Innovation
FHWA and the AASHTO Innovation Management are seeking to recognize how your State Transportation Innovation Council (STIC) is making a significant impact in your state. The STIC Excellence Award celebrates the crucial role of fostering a robust culture of innovation. A STIC unites public and private transportation stakeholders to evaluate and lead innovation deployment in each state. States with a strong culture of innovation can effectively harness transportation community resources, accelerating the implementation of new practices. An effective STIC, characterized by defined processes and procedures, active participation, and engaged leadership, lays the foundation for a culture of innovation within the state. These are essential components for creating an environment open to change. Encouraging innovation is vital for an efficient and high-performing department of transportation. Submit your nomination to Jeffrey.Zaharewicz@dot.gov by December 13, 2024 using the 2024 STIC nomination form.
New Funding Opportunity to Accelerate Adoption of Emerging Technologies
The Federal Highway Administration’s Accelerating Market Readiness (AMR) Program builds a bridge between research and practice by providing resources to assess whether innovations emerging from research will perform as intended in their operational environment. A new five year Broad Agency Announcement (BAA), which opened on October 29, 2024, is soliciting a variety of solutions that address challenges in safety, project delivery, management of infrastructure, and more. The AMR program is intended to help advance these innovations to a more complete market-ready status, which in turn should accelerate the adoption of the innovations by transportation agencies. Please register for our Virtual Industry Day on November 20, 2024 at 1pm ET for more information.
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About EDC
Every Day Counts, a State-based initiative of the Federal Highway Administration's Office of Innovation and Workforce Solutions, works with State, local, and privatesector partners to encourage the adoption of proven and underutilized technologies to deliver transportation projects more efficiently, enhance safety forall users, support a sustainable and resilient infrastructure, and incorporate equity inproject planning and delivery.
EDC News is a weekly publication highlighting successful EDC innovation deployments across the country.
EDC News is published weekly by the FHWA Center for Accelerating Innovation.
Disclaimer: The U.S. Government does not endorse products or manufacturers. Trademarks or manufacturers’ names appear in this document only because they are considered essential to the objective of the document. They are included for informational purposes only and are not intended to reflect a preference, approval, or endorsement of any one product or entity.
Except for the statutes and regulations cited, the contents of this document do not have the force and effect of law and are not meant to bind the States or the public in any way. This document is intended only to provide information regarding existing requirements under the law or agency policies.
Recommended Citation:
U.S Department of Transportation, Federal Highway Administration
EDC News; November 14, 2024
Washington, DC
