isiZulu
Amakhamera Asekelwa yi-Drone Ekuhlolweni Kwamabhuloho Nengqalasizinda: Kusukela Ekuboniseni Kuze Kufike Ekugcineni Okubikezelayo
Kwadalwa ngo 01.07
Infrastructure is the backbone of modern societies, connecting cities, powering economies, and ensuring the smooth flow of daily life. Yet, millions of bridges, roads, and public structures worldwide are aging—many beyond their intended lifespans. Traditional inspection methods, reliant on manual labor, scaffolding, or heavy machinery, have long struggled with inefficiency, high costs, and safety risks. Enter drone-based cameras: a transformative technology that’s not just changing how we see infrastructure defects but enabling us to predict failures before they occur. In this blog, we’ll explore how drone-based imaging is redefining bridge and infrastructure inspections, the innovative technologies driving its evolution, its real-world impact, and why it’s becoming a non-negotiable tool for asset managers and engineers in the 21st century.
The Limitations of Traditional Infrastructure Inspections: Why Change Was Overdue
Sekuyiminyaka eminingi, ukuhlolwa kwamabhuloho nezingqalasizinda kube umsebenzi odinga umzamo omkhulu, futhi uyingozi kakhulu. Cabanga ngokuhlolwa okujwayelekile kwebhuloho: amaqembu onjiniyela ayeyokwehlela emapulangweni amakhonkrethe (umkhuba owaziwa ngokuthi "rope access"), abeke izinsimbi ezibizayo, noma asebenzise izimoto ezinkulu zokuhlolwa ngaphansi kwamabhuloho (ama-UBIV) ezivale umgwaqo futhi ziphazamise abagibeli. Lezi zindlela azisheshi kuphela—ukuhlola ibhuloho eliphakathi elilodwa kungathatha izinsuku noma amasonto—kodwa futhi ziyabiza. Umbiko wangowezi-2023 yi-American Society of Civil Engineers (ASCE) uthole ukuthi ukuhlolwa kwamabhuloho okujwayelekile kubiza isilinganiso sama- $15,000–$50,000 ibhuloho ngalinye, kanti amabhuloho amakhulu angadlula ama- $100,000. Okubi nakakhulu, ukuhlolwa okwenziwa ngesandla kungaba nephutha lomuntu: izikhala ezincane, ukugqwala, noma ukubola kwezinto kungase kungabonwa amehlo akhathele, okuholela ekulungiseni okubambezelekile kanye nokuwa okungaba khulu.
Ukuvikeleka kuyisici esibalulekile esinye esingesihle. I-Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) ibika ukuthi abahloli bokwakhiwa kanye nezingqalasizinda bahlangabezana no-30% wengozi enkulu yokulimala okubulalayo uma kuqhathaniswa nomsebenzi ojwayelekile, lapho ukuwa kanye nezingozi ezihlobene nemishini kuyizimbangela eziyinhloko. Kwingqalasizinda esagugayo—njengezindlovu ezakhiwa maphakathi nekhulu lama-20 leminyaka ngekhonkrithi noma insimbi eyonakele—lezi zingozi ziyanda. Kuyacaca: izindlela zakudala azisasebenzi emhlabeni lapho izabelo zezingqalasizinda zicindezelekile, futhi ukuphepha komphakathi kufuna ukuqapha okusebenzayo, okunembayo.
Amakhamera Asekelwe Amadroni: Ngaphezu Kwama-"Flying Cameras" Amathuluzi Okuhlola Anembayo
Izinhlelo zokuhlola ezisekelwe kuma-drone zanamuhla kude kakhulu nama-quadcopters asezingeni lomthengi asetshenziselwa ukuthwebula izithombe emoyeni. Ziyithuluzi elikhethekile elihlomele amakhamera anencazelo ephezulu, izinzwa zokuthwebula izithombe ezishisayo, i-LiDAR (Light Detection and Ranging), kanye nobuchwepheshe bokuthwebula izithombe eziningi kakhulu—konke kuhlanganiswe nama-algorithm e-AI kanye ne-machine learning (ML) ukuze kuguqulwe izithombe eziluhlaza zibe imininingwane ewusizo. Okwenza lezi zinhlelo zibe yintsha kakhulu yikhono lazo lokuhlanganisa ukufinyeleleka, ukunemba, kanye nokuhlaziywa kwedatha—kuxazulula zonke izinkinga zokuhlola kwendabuko.
Ubuchwepheshe Obuyisisekelo Bekhamera Obuqinisa Ukuhlola Ngamadroni
1. Amakhamera E-Optical Anencazelo Ephezulu: Isisekelo sokuhlola ngamadroni, lawa makhamera athwebula izithombe ezinama-megapixels angama-20+—ebukhali ngokwanele ukuthola imifantu encane njengama-millimeter ayi-0.1 kukhabhoni noma insimbi. Amaningi ahlomele izikrini zokuhlanganisa (kufika ku-30x optical zoom) nobuchwepheshe bokuzinza, avumela amadroni ukuthi azungeze ezindaweni eziphephile (amabanga ayi-10–20 amamitha ukusuka esakhiweni) ngenkathi ethwebula izithombe ezinemininingwane. Lokhu kuqeda isidingo sabahloli sokuba ngaphakathi kwesikhathi sokufinyelela ezindaweni eziyingozi.
2. Amakhamera Okuthwebula Okushisa: Amakhamera okushisa athola umehluko wokushisa, okwenza alungele ukuthola izinkinga ezifihliwe. Ngokwesibonelo, angakwazi ukubona ukungena kwamanzi emakhethini amabhuloho (okubangela umonakalo wokubanda nokuqhakaza) ngokubonisa izindawo ezibandayo lapho kunamanzi abanjisiwe. Aphinde athole amaphutha kagesi ezindaweni ezifana nezinsika zokudlulisa ugesi noma ukugqwala ezakhiweni zensimbi—izinkinga ezingabonakali ngamehlo. Esifundweni sango-2024, idrone elinikwe amandla okuthwebula okushisa yathola ukuvuza kwamanzi okufihliwe emakhethini amabhuloho enziwe ngekhonskrethi okwakungabonwanga izinsizakalo ezintathu ezedlule, kwasindiswa idolobha u-$200,000 ezindlekweni zokulungisa.
3. I-LiDAR: I-LiDAR isebenzisa imishayo ye-laser ukudala amamodeli angu-3D ezakhiwo, okwenza kube nokwenzeka ukukala ngokunembayo iziphambeko nokuguquguquka kwezakhiwo. Ezindaweni zamabhuloho, lokhu kusho ukuthi onjiniyela bangalandelela ukushintsha okuncane ezinsaleni noma ezintanjeni ngokuhamba kwesikhathi—okubalulekile ekutholeni izimpawu zokuqala zokungazinzisi. Izindiza ezinama-LiDAR ziwusizo ikakhulukazi ezakhiweni eziyinkimbinkimbi njengamabhuloho anezintambo, lapho izilinganiso ezenziwa ngesandla zithatha isikhathi futhi zingalungile. Ucwaningo luka-2023 olwenziwa yi-Federal Highway Administration (FHWA) lathola ukuthi ukuhlolwa kwezindiza ze-LiDAR kunciphise amaphutha esilinganiso ngo-85% uma kuqhathaniswa nezindlela zakudala.
4. Ukuthwebula Izithombe Ezihlukahlukene Kakhulu (Hyperspectral Imaging): Ubuchwepheshe obusha, amakhamera e-hyperspectral athwebula ukukhanya kumabhendi amancane angamakhulu, ngaphezu kokukhanya okubonakalayo. Lokhu kubavumela ukuthi bahlaziye ukwakheka kwamakhemikhali wezinto—isibonelo, ukuthola ukugqwala ensimbi ngaphambi kokuba kubonakale, noma ukukala ukuqina kukakhonkolo ngokuhlaziya isiginesha yawo ye-spectral. Ngenkathi kusathuthuka, izinhlelo ze-hyperspectral drone zivivinywa iminyango yezokuthutha (DOTs) kulo lonke elaseYurophu naseNyakatho Melika njengendlela yokubikezela ukwehla kwezinto.
Okushintsha Umdlalo: Ukuhlaziywa Okunikezwe yi-AI Okuguqula Izithombe Zibe Ukuqagela Okubikezelayo
Ukusungulwa kweqiniso kokuhlolwa okwenziwa ngamadroni akuyona nje amakhamera—ngukuthi kwenzekani kudatha ngemuva kokuba ithunyelwe. Ukuhlolwa kwangaphambili kwamadroni kwakudinga onjiniyela ukuthi babuyekeze mathupha izinkulungwane zezithombe, inqubo eyathatha isikhathi eside eyayisashiye indawo yamaphutha. Namuhla, ama-algorithm e-AI kanye ne-ML ahlaziya ngokuzenzakalelayo izithombe ezithunyelwe ngamadroni ukuthola amaphutha, ukuhlukanisa ubunzima bawo, futhi ngisho nokuqagela ukuthi izokwenziwa nini ukulungiswa.
Isebenza kanjani? Okokuqala, idrone indiza ngomzila ohleliwe ngaphambili (isebenzisa ubuchwepheshe be-GPS nokugwema izithiyo) ukuze ithwebule izithombe ezingaguquki, eziphindaphindayo zesakhiwo. Lezi zithombe bese zithunyelwa endaweni yesikhulumi esisebenzisa i-cloud, lapho izibalo ze-AI ziqhathanisa khona nazo nedatabase yezinkinga ezaziwayo (ukuqhekeka, ukugqwala, ukuchithika, njll.). I-AI imaka izinto ezingajwayelekile, ilinganise usayizi wazo nendawo, futhi inikeze isilinganiso sobunzima (isibonelo, "phansi," "phakathi," "phezulu") ngokusekelwe emazingeni omkhakha (njengencwadi ye-FHWA's Bridge Inspection Manual).
Ngokuhamba kwesinyathelo, amamodeli okuhlaziya okubikezelayo asebenzisa idatha yomlando wokuhlola, izimo zezulu, kanye nesayensi yezinto ukuze kubikezelwe ukuthi iziphepho zizobukeka kanjani. Ngokwesibonelo, uhlelo lwe-AI lungase libikezele ukuthi isikhala esingama-millimitha angu-0.5 kubhuloho sizokhula sibe ngama-millimitha angu-2 ezinyangeni ezingu-18—kunikeze abaphathi bezimpahla isikhathi sokuhlela ukulungiswa ngaphambi kokuba isikhala sibe yingozi yokuphepha. Leli shintsho kusukela ekugcineni "okuphendulayo" kuya ekugcineni "okubikezelayo" konga ohulumeni kanye nezinhlangano izigidi zamadola ngokugwema ukulungiswa okuphuthumayo nokwelula impilo yengqalasizinda.
Umthelela Wangempela: Ukuhlola Kwama-Drone Kusebenza
Ukuhlolwa kwamakhamera asekelwa ama-drone akuseyona umqondo ongokoqobo—asebenziswa emhlabeni wonke, aletha imiphumela eqondakalayo. Ake sihlolisise izifundo ezimbili ezithakazelisayo:
Isifundo Sokuqala: Ukuthuthukiswa Kokuhlolwa Kwamabhuloho Edolobha LaseNew York
I-New York City (NYC) inenye yezinkulu kunazo zonke izinhlelo zamabhuloho emhlabeni—amabhuloho angaphezu kuka-2,000, amaningi awo aneminyaka engaphezu kweyi-100 ubudala. Ngo-2022, i-NYC Department of Transportation (NYCDOT) yethula uhlelo lokuhlola ngama-drone ukubuyisela ukufinyelela ngentambo ngesandla kanye nama-UBIV. Ngokuhlomisa ama-drone ngamakhamera aphezulu kakhulu ezithombe nokushisa, leli ejensi lahlola amabhuloho abalulekile angu-50 ngonyaka wokuqala. Imiphumela ibimangalisa: isikhathi sokuhlola ibhuloho ngalinye saphansi kusuka ezinsukwini ezi-5 saya osukwini olungu-1 (ukuncipha okungu-80%), izindleko zehle ngo-40% (kusuka ku-$35,000 kuya ku-$21,000 ibhuloho ngalinye), futhi akubikwanga izehlo zokuphepha. Okubaluleke kakhulu, ama-drone athola izinkinga ezibalulekile eziyi-12 ezaziphuthelwe phakathi nokuhlolwa ngesandla, okuhlanganisa insimbi eyayibola esakhiweni sebhuloho i-Williamsburg Bridge eyayidinga ukulungiswa ngokushesha. Namuhla, i-NYCDOT ihlela ukwandisa uhlelo kuwo wonke amabhuloho edolobha ngo-2026.
Isifundo Sendawo 2: Ukuqapha Ingqalasizinda Yomgwaqo Omkhulu waseYurophu
I-Trans-European Transport Network (TEN-T) ye-European Union ihlanganisa imigwaqo namabhuloho angaphezu kuka-100,000 wamakhilomitha. Ngo-2023, iqembu lama-DOT aseYurophu laqala uhlelo lokuhlola olusebenzisa izindiza ezinama-LiDAR ukuze ziqaphe amabhuloho emigwaqweni namathenela. Izindiza zathwebula izithombe eziyi-3D zezakhiwo, ezahlanganiswa ne-AI analytics ukuze kulandelwe ukuguquguquka ngokuhamba kwesikhathi. Kwenye isimo, uhlelo luthole ukuhlehla kwamamilimitha angu-2 odongeni lwethenela—okuncane kakhulu ukuthi kungabonwa ngesikhathi sokuhlolwa mathupha—kwabangela ukubuyekezwa okwembula ukudliwa komhlabathi okungaphansi. Ngokubhekana nenkinga ngesikhathi, iqembu lagwema ukuvalwa okungenzeka kwethenela, okungabe kubize cishe ama-€1.2 million emalini engenayo yethrafikhi nokulungisa. Impumelelo yohlelo lokuhlola iholele ekutheni uhlelo lwandiswe emazweni angu-10 e-EU.
Ukwehlula Izithiyo Zokwamukelwa: Imithetho, Ukuqeqeshwa, kanye Nezindleko
Nakuba izinzuzo zokuhlolwa okwenziwa ngezindiza ezingenamuntu (drones) zicacile, kusekhona izithiyo ekwamukelweni kwazo. Okukhulu kunakho konke ukulawulwa: amazwe amaningi adinga amalayisense akhethekile emisebenzini yezindiza ezingenamuntu ezohwebo, ikakhulukazi ezindizeni eziseduze nengqalasizinda (isibonelo, izikhumulo zezindiza, imigqa yamandla) noma phezu kwezindawo zomphakathi. Kodwa-ke, iziphathimandla ezilawulayo ziyazivumelanisa—isibonelo, i-FAA e-U.S. yenze lula inqubo yokuthola amalayisense e-Part 107 wokuhlolwa kwengqalasizinda, futhi i-EU’s Drone Regulation (EU) 2021/664 inikeza uhlaka olucacile lokusetshenziswa kwezindiza ezingenamuntu ezohwebo.
Ukuqeqeshwa kungenye into okufanele icatshangelwe. Abashayeli bama-drone kudingeka babe nekhono kokubili ukundizisa i-drone nokuchaza idatha ethathwe amakhamera. Izinkampani eziningi zinikeza izinhlelo zokuqeqesha ezikhethekile zabahloli bengqalasizinda, ezihlanganisa ukuqeqeshwa kokundiza nokufundiswa nge-AI analytics nokuhlonza iziphutha. Izindaba ezinhle ukuthi leli qeqesho ngokuvamile lihambisana nokonga izindleko ezivela ekuhloleni okusebenza kahle kakhudlwana.
Ekugcineni, izindleko zokuqala zingaba isithiyo ezinkampanini ezincane. Uhlelo lokuhlola lwe-drone olusezingeni eliphezulu olune-LiDAR ne-AI analytics lungabiza u-$20,000–$50,000. Noma kunjalo, ukubuyiselwa kwezimali okwenziwayo (ROI) kuyashesha: izinhlangano eziningi nezinkampani zibuyisa izindleko zazo phakathi kwezinyanga eziyisi-6–12 ngokunciphisa isikhathi sokuhlola, izindleko zabasebenzi eziphansi, nokugwema ukulungiswa okuphuthumayo.
Ikusasa Lokuhlola Okusekelwe kuma-Drone: Yini Elandelayo?
Ukuthuthuka kwamakhamera asekelwa ama-drone ekuhlolweni kwengqalasizinda kude kakhulu nokuphela. Nansi imikhuba emithathu okufanele uyibheke eminyakeni ezayo:
1. Ama-Drone Azisebenzele: Ama-drone esikhathi esizayo azoba azisebenzele ngokuphelele, akwazi ukuzulazula ezakhiweni eziyinkimbinkimbi ngaphandle kosizo lomuntu. Anikwe izinto zokugwema izithiyo ezithuthukile kanye ne-AI, la ma-drone azohlola ubusuku nemini, ahlinzeke ngemininingwane yesikhathi sangempela kubaphathi bezimpahla. Ngokwesibonelo, i-drone ingahlanganiswa ukuthi ihlole ibhuloho njalo ngenyanga, yazise ngokuzenzakalelayo onjiniyela nganoma yiziphi izinkinga ezintsha.
2. Ukuhlanganiswa nezimbangi zedijithali: Izimbangi zedijithali—izithombe ezibuyekeziwe zezakhiwo ezibonakalayo—ziyanda ziba yithuluzi elibalulekile lokuphatha ingqalasizinda. Idatha ethunjwe yi-drone (kusuka kumakhamera, i-LiDAR, nezinzwa ezishisayo) izosetshenziselwa ukubuyekeza izimbangi zedijithali ngesikhathi sangempela, ivumela onjiniyela ukuthi bahlole ukuthi iziphihlilizi zizothinta kanjani ukusebenza kwesakhiwo. Lokhu kuzovumela ukugcinwa okubikezelwe okunembayo nokuhlelwa kwesikhathi eside.
3. Ukuhlaziya ngesikhathi sangempela okusekelwa yi-5G: Ubuchwepheshe be-5G buzovumela ama-drone ukuthi adlulise izithombe ezinokulungiswa okuphezulu namamodeli we-3D efwini ngesikhathi sangempela, kuqede isidingo sokulayisha idatha ngemuva kokundiza. Lokhu kuzovumela onjiniyela ukuthi babuyekeze imiphumela yokuhlola ngokushesha, kube lula ukwenziwa kwezinqumo ngokushesha nangempumelelo endaweni.
Isiphetho: Amakhamera e-Drone Ayabuyekeza Ukuphepha Nokuzinza Kwengqalasizinda
Amakhamera asekelwa ama-drone asewadingeka kakhulu ekuhlolweni kwamabhuloho nezingqalasizinda—awasenamathiselo nje. Ngokuhlanganisa ukufinyeleleka, ukunemba, kanye nokuhlaziya okusekelwa yi-AI, aguqula indlela esiqapha ngayo futhi sinakekele ingqalasizinda egcina imiphakathi yethu isebenza. Kusukela ekunciphiseni isikhathi nezindleko zokuhlola kuya ekuthuthukiseni ukuphepha nokuvumela ukunakekelwa okubikezelayo, izinzuzo aziphikiswa. Njengoba imithetho iba ngcono, ubuchwepheshe buqhubeka, futhi ukwamukelwa kukhuphuka, ukuhlolwa okusekelwa ama-drone kuzoba nendima ebaluleke kakhulu ekugcineni ukuphepha, ukusimama, nokumelana nengqalasizinda yethu.
Kubaphathi bezimpahla, onjiniyela, namabhizinisi emkhakheni wezinsiza-kagesi, manje yisikhathi sokwamukela lobu buchwepheshe. Noma ngabe ufuna ukuthuthukisa izinqubo zakho zokuhlola, wehlise izindleko, noma ubeke ibhizinisi lakho njengomuntu osungula izinto ezintsha, amakhamera asuselwe kumadroni ahlinzeka ngendlela ecacile phambili. Ikusasa lokuhlola izinsiza-kagesi selifikile—futhi liyandiza phezulu.
Uxhumane
Sicela uxhumane nathi uhambele
WhatsApp
WeChat