An unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) equipped with light detection and ranging (LiDAR) technology is being tested to document cut-and-fill work on a $74-million interchange in Contra Costa County, Calif. With an equipment cost of about $150,000, the drone’s high-resolution data-capture technology will monitor the movement of 150,000 cu yd of fill, ensuring the estimated $1-million to $2-million worth of earthwork goes as efficiently as possible.
“Five years ago, there was no way we could have put LiDAR on a UAV,” says Ed Greutert, principal engineer with Alta Vista Solutions, which proposed testing the technology to the Contra Costa County Transportation Authority (CCTA). “Now, a number of manufacturers are making units that are far more advanced, weighing 4 kilograms [8 lb,13 oz] or less.”