Drone AI Bridge Inspection System for Hazardous Maintenance
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current maintenance methods for old buildings are inefficient and hazardous, relying on human visual inspections that vary in accuracy and are prone to safety risks, with a need for standardized and cost-effective inspection systems.
Innovation Solution
A system utilizing a drone and artificial intelligence to analyze bridge image data, dividing the bridge into photographing areas, selecting dangerous parts, and calculating maintenance solutions and estimates through big data and AI, including a communicating unit, DB, primary image data generation, and maintenance solution calculation.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If human visual inspection is used for bridge maintenance, then inspection can be performed, but safety risks increase and inspection accuracy varies
Solution Approach 1:
The patent replaces human visual inspection with a drone-based automated inspection system. The drone captures images of the bridge structure, and an AI algorithm automatically analyzes these images to detect cracks and damage, eliminating the need for human inspectors to physically access hazardous areas while providing consistent, objective inspection results.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent creates a digital copy of the bridge structure through drone photography and stores it in a database. This digital replica allows for repeated analysis by AI algorithms without exposing inspectors to physical risks, and enables consistent inspection results by analyzing the same digital data multiple times.
2Reliability
If comprehensive bridge inspection is performed, then inspection completeness improves, but inspection time increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent divides the bridge into multiple inspection areas and prioritizes them based on potential danger levels. The AI algorithm first identifies critical areas that require intensive photographing, then allocates inspection resources accordingly. This segmentation allows comprehensive inspection of all bridge areas while reducing overall inspection time by focusing initially on the most critical sections.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent performs preliminary analysis using bridge data and existing image data to pre-identify dangerous areas before comprehensive inspection. This preliminary action determines the inspection priority and allows the system to efficiently allocate resources, ensuring complete inspection of critical areas without wasting time on less critical sections.
3Adaptability or versatility
If manual inspection methods are used, then flexibility is maintained, but standardization and cost-effectiveness are insufficient
Solution Approach 1:
The patent changes the fundamental parameters of inspection from manual human observation to automated drone-based imaging and AI analysis. This transformation provides standardization through consistent imaging protocols and objective AI evaluation criteria, while maintaining adaptability by allowing the system to adjust to different bridge types and inspection requirements through software configuration rather than physical reconfiguration.
Data Source
AI summary
Provided are a method and a system for analyzing image data obtained by photographing a bridge by a drone using artificial intelligence, rapidly and accurately finding a part that requires maintenance of the bridge, and calculating a maintenance solution and a maintenance estimate for the part. The system for maintaining a bridge by analyzing bridge image data received from a drone using artificial intelligence, includes: the drone that photographs the bridge to generate the bridge image data; and an artificial intelligence bridge maintenance apparatus that finds a part of the bridge requiring maintenance, and calculates an optimal maintenance solution and an optimal maintenance estimate necessary for the bridge maintenance.