Abstract:

The primary objectives of this research project are to develop recommended processes and procedures for using small unmanned/uncrewed aircraft system (sUAS) to complement current methods of airport Pavement Management Program (PMP) inspections and to evaluate various types of sUAS platforms and sensors that will lead to recommended minimum specifications required for consistently safe, reliable, and effective sUAS-assisted airport PMP inspections. Under Task 4, the research team developed and executed field demonstrated plans to safely deploy several sUAS at six airports in Michigan, Illinois, Iowa, and New Jersey from December 2020 to August 2021. Red, green, and blue (RGB) optical orthophotos, digital elevation models (DEMs), hillshades derived from DEMs, and thermal orthophotos collected using several sUAS at different altitudes were analyzed for their usefulness in airfield distress detection. Based on the data analyses and results, RGB orthophotos of 1.5 mm/pixel and DEMs of 6 mm/pixel resolution, or higher, are highly recommended for airfield pavement distress detection and rating.