One of Australia’s leading Rail Asset Owners in has contracted Nova Systems to explore autonomous rail track inspections utilising Unmanned Aerial Systems (UAS).

Nova Systems has developed a program of work to progressively explore and integrate UAS based inspection technology into the rail asset owner’s operations, commencing with a feasibility study and leading to technology trials. The main purpose of the study is to investigate how UAS technology can be most effectively deployed to;

• Operate reliably within Australian rail infrastructure context and environmental conditions.
• Augment existing inspection techniques;
• collect higher quality inspection data to monitor infrastructure condition, enable better condition prediction, timely rectification and minimise failures/track outages;
• provide opportunities to enhance safety of railway operations; and,
• reduce remote worker’s exposure to hazards.

The study will also investigate feasibility of BVLOS operations within the civil aviation regulatory framework and prospects for change applicable to routine autonomous UAS operations within regional and urban environments.