Cooperative robotic path planning for comprehensive bridge inspection with LiDAR technology: navigating unknown structures

This paper presents a new automated workflow designed for 3D reconstruction of previously unsurveyed bridges, developed within the EU-funded RAPID project. A cooperative approach, where Unmanned Aerial Vehicles (UAVs) and Unmanned Surface Vehicles (USVs) collaborate is employed to ensure the safe execution of inspections in unknown environments. In this proposed approach, a survey is first performed using a UAV. The mapped environment serves to plan a path for a USV, addressing safety concerns associated with the UAV flight path. This collaboration enables a secure mapping of the underside features of the bridge. Real-world environment tests, conducted with one of the most popular commercial UAS platforms and a novel research USV, demonstrate the feasibility of the developed system in autonomous bridge inspections.