Staff member says drones will not replace hands-on bridge inspections

A staff member at the meeting said drones are a useful tool but will not replace direct, up-close inspections of bridges. "Drone inspections will never replace the hands on arms length inspection because you really need to go up and look at bridge components, the bridge seats, bearings, things like that," the speaker said.

The speaker framed drones as a supplement for specific tasks—for example, rapid visual checks or remote observation when crews need to confirm a concern. They stressed that detailed structural assessments still require personnel to access components directly, citing seats and bearings as elements that require hands-on evaluation. The staff member added that, for interim inspections, drones let staff check a potential problem more efficiently than closing a roadway and lifting crews to the structure.