Utilizing Drone-Assisted AI to Enhance Water Infrastructure Inspections

Inspection and condition assessment of water infrastructure—including storage tanks, pipelines, and treatment facilities—are essential to public safety, regulatory compliance, and long-term asset performance. Yet conventional methods may require confined-space entry, scaffolding, or elevated access, increasing safety risks, costs, operational disruptions, and variability in defect ratings.

Drone-based digital inspections offer a safer, more consistent alternative. High-resolution optical and thermal imagery can be processed by AI to create a 3D model, or digital twin, that identifies and quantifies cracking, spalling, corrosion, coating degradation, moisture intrusion, and potential leaks. More precise quantities improve maintenance budgeting and scopes of work, reduce bid uncertainty, and limit change-order risk.

Because the 3D model provides a persistent condition record, it also supports trend analysis, lifecycle planning, maintenance prioritization, and pre- and post-disaster comparisons. A potable water tank case study will compare traditional and enhanced inspections using optical and thermal imagery, AI-quantified defects, and the resulting digital platform to demonstrate practical advantages in a real-world application.

Learning Objectives:
By joining this program, attendees will be able to:

• compare the safety, access, and consistency considerations of traditional and drone-based infrastructure inspections.
• explain how optical and thermal imagery, AI analysis, and 3D modeling support defect detection and quantification.
• evaluate how precise defect quantities can improve maintenance planning, bidding, and change-order control.
• identify how digital condition records support life cycle management, disaster assessment, and recovery planning.

Continuing Education*

• 1.0 ICRI Professional Development Hours (PDH)
• 1.0 AIA Learning Units (LUs)
  

*Continuing education certificates (PDH & LU) are only available to individuals who have registered and logged into the webinar through their ICRI Learning Center account. LU credits are only available for the live webcast.

Disclaimer: the ideas expressed in this ICRI-hosted webinar are those of the speaker(s) and do not necessarily reflect the views and opinions of ICRI, its board, committees, or sponsors.