Author(s): Antonio Lastra De La Rubia; Celia Ortega Flores; Alejandro Pinilla Riveiro; Monica Ortega Castro; Jaime Botello Herranz

Linked Author(s): Antonio Lastra de la Rubia

Keywords: Sewer inspection autonomous drones artificial intelligence infrastructure assessment machine learning

Abstract: This paper presents the development and deployment of autonomous drones and artificial intelligence (AI) technologies for the inspection of sewer networks, addressing safety, efficiency, and cost-effectiveness. The Madrid region's sewer network, with over 15,000 kilometres, includes both large-diameter, accessible sections inspected by autonomous drones and smaller, non-accessible sections analysed using robotic CCTV cameras. Autonomous drones equipped with advanced imaging systems enable precise inspection of visitable sewers, while AI-powered machine learning algorithms enhance the interpretation of CCTV footage from non-accessible sections. The study highlights how the combination of these approaches optimizes maintenance strategies, enhances safety, and reduces operational costs.

DOI:

Year: 2025