About the Project

APTech, as a subcontractor to Iowa State University, is part of a team evaluating the use of small Unmanned Aircraft Systems (sUAS) to conduct airfield pavement inspections. The project includes a comprehensive review of current and emerging sUAS platforms and sUAS-mounted sensor technologies, along with the deployment of technology-platform combinations on airfield pavements to evaluate their technical specifications (i.e., performance and required criteria). This project is also providing an overview of potential standard processes and procedures for the use of sUAS for airport pavement inspection.

APTech contributed ground-truth survey results as part of a detailed field demonstration plan carried out at airports in four states. The practical lessons learned from the field demonstration projects will be captured, analyzed, and ultimately used to provide inputs to the development of a draft Advisory Circular addressing the use of sUAS to supplement airport pavement management program inspections. A final report including the research methodology and findings for the project, as well as an executive summary and list of recommendations for further research needs, will be submitted to the Federal Aviation Administration.

Key Tasks

• Review of sUAS platforms

• Review of sUAS-mounted sensor technology

• Deployment of technology-platform combinations

• Development of standar sUAS processes and procedures for airport pavement inspection

• Contribution to ground-truth survey results

• Development of reports

Ultimately, expected outcomes from this research will include contributing to the development of standard processes and procedures, as well as technical specifications, for various types of sUAS and sUAS-mounted sensor technologies to consistently conduct safe, reliable, and effective sUAS-based airport pavement management inspections.