Using an Unmanned Aerial Vehicle to Produce Accurate Grade Crossing Profile Data

2019Bedini Jacobini, FrancescoSafety of Highway-Rail Grade Crossing seriesPDFTech ReportDOT/FRA/ORD-19/49DOT-VNTSC-FRA-20-02Railroad grade crossingsGrade crossing surfacesAerial photogrammetryPhotogrammetryLaser radarHighway-railgrade crossinghumped crossingLiDARUnited StatesUnited States. Department of Transportation. Federal Railroad AdministrationBaron, William R.daSilva, Marco P.John A. Volpe National Transportation Systems Center (U.S.)United States. Department of Transportation. Federal Railroad Administration. Office of Railroad Policy and DevelopmentUnited States. Department of Transportation. Federal Railroad Administration. Office of Research, Development, and TechnologyVolpe National Transportation Systems Center, Technical Reference Center;Federal Railroad AdministrationThe U.S. Department of Transportation (DOT) John A. Volpe National Transportation Systems Center (Volpe), under the direction of DOT's Federal Railroad Administration (FRA), Office of Research, Development and Technology, studied the use of unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) to produce accurate 3-dimensional models of high-profile highway-rail grade crossings. Volpe found that photogrammetry with ground control points can produce models with similar accuracy to those produce using UDAR at a much lower cost. Volpe determined the process needed to achieve a simple measurement of ground clearance for these crossings and makes recommendations to FRA for pursuing this capability, and to work with FHWA to provide better information to drivers of low-clearance vehicles.92