04.03.2018

Budimex and Sky Tronic are working on the autonomous 3D Flight Explorer FLC drone

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The innovative project involves the development and implementation of an intelligent system for 3D spatial analysis of engineering structures, which will be a response to the needs of the construction industry diagnosed in the Budimex Innowacje project.

The result of the cooperation will be an autonomously moving measurement platform called 3D Flight Explorer FLC, which will precisely map the elements of space within the monitored area in 3D technology, in real time and with the marginalization of the role of the pilot-operator. The system will be an integral part of the drone, which will be used in monitoring and inspection works of engineering structures.

As part of the work, the intelligent flight control and stabilization system “SkyNav” will be used, which will ensure safe flight and measurements in difficult and dangerous conditions, such as strong gusts of wind, turbulence or difficult access to objects. The team will design and construct its own electronic measuring device – a vision space identification system. For the purposes of the autonomous flight system, intelligent decision-making algorithms will be developed to automatically determine the optimal flight route.

The generated 3D image will allow for quick and precise determination of the necessary parameters of solid models, such as: free area, volume of occupied space, volume of earth masses, construction elements or differences in the volume of cubature objects. The three-dimensional map of the environment created in this way will be used for navigation, and the autonomous system will allow to avoid obstacles on the flight route and determine an alternative route to the destination.

In the case of the construction process, the technology can be used at any stage of work – from design to acceptance. It will also be possible to digitize the image of investment areas and create edited solid models for geodesy and cartography. The system being created is a response to the growing interest in conducting structural monitoring of engineering structures and investment areas.

The 3D terrain modeling system we are working on with Sky Tronic will be used to optimize construction processes. Its role will be to quickly and precisely record spatial objects. This will be a new type of service.
Autonomous flight of the carrier platform and automated photogrammetric measurements can significantly improve geodetic works and shorten the time of generating three-dimensional 3D models of areas for planned investments. A new system for modeling and monitoring spatial systems is to support  m.in. recognition of road edges, slopes, tops or buildings and processing of data obtained as a result of a photogrammetric flight from a drone. We plan to use it for cyclical inventories of construction areas and resources located on construction sites. Thanks to this solution, it will be easier to control the extent of earthworks, as well as the degree of investment progress.
– comments Przemysław Kuśmierczyk, Head of the Youth Prevention Team. Budimex SA Innovation