A drone can get to a breakdown or accident much faster than a road inspector in many cases, according to a trial by the Directorate-General for Public Works and Water Management and National Road Traffic Data Portal in cooperation with the province of North Holland. In addition, thanks to its position in the air, the drone gives an immediate and clear picture of the situation.
The trial shows that using drones at breakdown and accident scenes offers several advantages. For instance, the drone is on the spot faster, immediately creates a good picture of the situation and the right help can be called in faster. As a result, the road or shipping route can be cleared sooner.
Series of trials
The project is part of a wider series of trials. For example, tests were already carried out at the Kooy Bridge in Den Helder late last year. In these, the drone was controlled by a drone pilot with a remote control at the same location.
A follow-up trial has been carried out in recent months. This involved remote control of the drone from a computer. This trial ran until the end of this month.
The province of North Holland calls the results promising. The average response time of a road inspector is 15 to 30 minutes. However, a drone can be on site in as little as 9 to 12 minutes. This allows the traffic centre to assess what is going on faster and call in the right help, such as a recovery vehicle or road surface cleaner.
'Doesn't replace road inspector'
The province of North Holland stresses that drones do not replace road inspectors, but complement them. Road inspectors perform various tasks that drones cannot. These include supporting those involved on site and ensuring a safe environment.
To further test the use of drones, the province is extending the trial in Den Helder. For instance, technical challenges with the software meant that fewer drones could be flown than previously envisaged. In addition, the parties involved could not gather enough information during the flights.
Drone to be deployed at real incidents
The trial at Kooy Bridge will therefore be extended to a maximum of April 2027. During this trial, the drone should be used in real incidents. In addition, the province wants to convert information from the drone into up-to-date traffic information for navigation systems. The extent to which the drone can be used for other social purposes, such as road or nature management, is also being investigated.
At the same time, a second test site is being sought in North Holland. It is unknown which locations are being considered in this regard.
