A total of 36 state departments of transportation (DOTs) have certified drone pilots on staff, according to an American Association of State Highway and Transportation Officials (AASHTO) survey held this month.
The departments have 279 Federal Aviation Administration certified drone pilots, an average of eight per state. Ten states are partnering with academic organizations to train new drone pilots.
In March 2016, AASHTO conducted its first Unmanned Aerial Systems (UAS)/drone technologies survey. At that time, 33 states were considering drones and were developing internal policies, but no state had yet to incorporate drones into its operations.
“The survey is just one example of how state DOTs are investing in the next-generation workforce,” said Carlos Braceras, executive director of the Utah DOT and AASHTO’s 2018-2019 president. “Five years ago, you’d be hard pressed to find any state DOT looking to hire a drone pilot or set up a UAS program—but now we’re doing both of those things in a big way.”
States are using drones in different ways. The top mission types are photo and video gathering of infrastructure projects; surveying; inspecting infrastructure including bridges, signage, light poles, and pavement; responding to emergencies and natural disasters; and public education and outreach.
The majority of the departments said drones saved the state money.