Safer, more efficient railways with help of drones
The maintenance of signalling is critical to ensuring operational efficiency and above all passenger safety on Europe’s railways. Control of these assets is typically performed through human maintenance activities, online applications or diagnostic trains. “Each of these approaches has drawbacks,” notes RADIUS project coordinator Fabio Scarpa from Hitachi Rail in Italy. “Human maintenance activities bring operational constraints, while online applications are expensive and prone to failure. Diagnostic trains meanwhile run at lower speeds than commercial trains, which can impact track capacity.”
Data-gathering drones to detect signalling anomalies
The EU-funded RADIUS project sought to pioneer a new approach to railway signalling with the use of drones. The goal was to develop a fleet of data-gathering drones to detect signalling anomalies. This would ensure that targeted repairs could be carried out quickly and efficiently without the need for human inspection. “Every year for example accidents occur at level crossings due to human error or equipment failure,” says Scarpa. “Detailed drone monitoring could help to detect any potential failures as early as possible.” The first drone test flights were carried out in Portugal during 2022. This enabled the team to further develop the technology, and to complete a series of final tests in 2024. These tests involved the monitoring of switches, lineside cabinets and level crossings along various railways in active operation.
Fewer delays and enhanced travel safety
These demonstrations showed that the drone fleets were capable of conducting frequent inspections in a cost-effective manner, increasing the safety of maintenance operations. Moreover, the flights did not interfere with rail traffic, helping to ensure operational efficiency. “We also developed docking stations that were strategically located at remote points on the tracks,” explains Scarpa. “This allowed the drones to land automatically, to recharge their batteries and to synchronise the information collected during their inspection flights. These stations were critical to making the project viable, because they allow for longer drone flights without the need to return to base.” The information gathered by the drones was also found to be useful in assessing and monitoring critical signalling assets. For example, images captured were used to monitor signalling racks and the light intensity of lineside signals, and to identify instances of vandalism. Visual sensors were also used to verify that a worksite was clear for manual maintenance. “With access to detailed, real-time data, maintenance teams can make informed decisions quickly, optimising repair schedules and reducing downtime,” adds Scarpa. “Ultimately, improved efficiency translates to a more reliable service, fewer delays and enhanced overall travel safety for the public.”
Drone maintenance for range of infrastructure
Further refinement of the technology is still needed for it to be commercially viable. Nonetheless, the project demonstrated that drones, combined with docking stations and advanced image analysis techniques, can be used to carry out continuous, cost-effective monitoring of critical signalling assets. Furthermore, while the project’s initial focus was on railways, the core innovations of RADIUS have potential applications in other infrastructures such as highways, pipelines and power lines. This could open the door to safer, more efficient monitoring across multiple industries. “The long-term legacy of RADIUS will be its role in establishing a new standard for infrastructure safety and maintenance, one that leverages technology to protect assets, reduce costs and improve overall operational efficiency,” says Scarpa.
Keywords
RADIUS, railway, drones, safety, trains, travel, rail, infrastructure, vandalism
