Kent Council Drones Spot Potholes

Kent County Council uses drones to spot potholes and speed up road maintenance.

07:18 25 July 2020

Kent County Council is exploring the use of drones to easily spot potholes, speed up road maintenance and detect issues with trees and streetlights. 

 

As part of the trial carried out by the Association of Directors of Environment, Economy, Planning and Transport (ADEPT), two drones were flown over the Kent Showground in Detling to determine if the technology could be used for highway inspection. 

 

Highways project manager Carol Valentine says that the initial stage aims to determine whether the cameras can pick up movement on the carriageway and spot road problems including but not limited to potholes. 

 

Mrs Valentine said: "There are many, many legal restrictions on what we can use drones for at the moment. But once we have completed the trials and have our data, we can then work with national bodies to lobby some changes."

 

She added: "Their use could definitely save money, if we can save sending people out. It will also have health and safety and environmental benefits. 

 

"Plus, it would make it easier to find problems on large, high-speed roads where it isn't so easy just to get out of a car and look.

 

"But we have got to be aware of the risks and we are of course conscious of people's privacy. Today, the drones are flying above the showground so they were not over people's houses or gardens."