Designing new infrastructure could be complex and time consuming, particularly for critical ones. UAVs are potentially useful in improving design efficiency and quality. For example, UAVs can be used in post-disaster assessment of critical infrastructures that are not easy to reach or detect after an extreme event such as earthquakes; and then provide valued information for future design. For instance, three different types of drones were deployed to examine damage of the nuclear plant failure which was fatal to human even for short exposure. Improved design can be conducted by taking into account the knowledge gained from post-disaster assessment.
Furthermore, data from real time traffic monitoring are useful for new road and bridge designs. For instance, drones are cost effective in collecting length-based vehicle classification data, which are important information for pavement design due to differences in size and weight between long vehicles and short vehicles. Compared to conventional traffic monitoring, drones can be used to collect real time traffic information and further guide the building of smart cities with respect to reversible lane systems and movable bridges.
Lastly, accurate landscape characteristics data acquired through UAVs can be taken into account to integrate better design quality and reduce cost. UAVs are capable of gathering key information to guide new infrastructure design.
Constructions of large-scale infrastructures are intricate processes that need careful site survey, construction process monitoring, post-build checks and safety supervision. After project planning and design, detailed surveys are usually necessary to make a workable field construction plan. As mentioned previously, UAVs are efficient tools to survey construction sites. UAVs allow enhanced visibility which is more helpful in construction monitoring