BOSTON, MA (FRANKLIN COUNTY NOW) — The Massachusetts Department of Transportation has received $1 million in federal funding to launch the second phase of their drone program to build the digital infrastructure which will be used in a range of projects.
The drones will be used in advanced bridge inspections, asset mapping, construction monitoring, and highway corridor asset detection and inspection. And the digital software systems infrastructure that will be built with this grant will collect, store, process, and disseminate drone data throughout MassDOT.
The new program is expected to lower project costs, increase inspection efficacy, and enhance monitoring across multiple projects.
The first phase of the project was funded by an AID grant received in 2021 and there is a third and final phase expected after the current phase is completed.