INSUBCONTINENT EXCLUSIVE:
Japanese startup FPV Robotics is leveraging drone technology to address a growing global need: inspecting aging infrastructure in an effort
to avoid major issues like unexpected bridge collapses
CES 2020 in Las Vegas this week.Waver is an amphibious drone, which can fly thanks to eight rotors, and also speed along the surface of
bodies of water using its floats
observing that Japan Railways (JR) needed this addressed.This specific problem was rail bridge collapse, including damaged and destroyed
bridges along the Tadami River in 2011 due to floods in Niigata and Fukushima
Many of the spans that JR relies upon for its Shinkansen and other local trains in Japan are considerably old, and beginning to show their
monitoring and inspection at a greatly reduced cost compared to current methods
Komagata partnered with JR and with sensor company OKI on development of the Waver to custom-design it specifically for this use, which is
where it got its amphibious abilities and attached multibeam sensor array.This multibeam technology, provided by OKI, is installed on the
bottom of the Waver drone and provides sonar imaging capabilities that allow the drone to accurately map the bottom of a river or seabed
This information, Komagata tells me, can be used to help predict when infrastructure, including bridges and roads, might need to be replaced
or reinforced, prior to any actual collapse or damage.Waver can autonomously map a predetermined section of riverbed, moving like a Roomba
across the water in segment sweeps to build the full picture
continue to operate effectively even in the unlikely event that it loses power to multiple rotors at once.In addition to the sea and river
bed inspection, the Waver can do a visual inspection of the bridge itself from up close using a more traditional camera, as well as the
supporting land from which it extends
Komagata points out that this kind of multi-part inspection can require specialized boats, many hours of trained personnel time, things like
temporary scaffolding for a close-up eyes-on approach and a lot more
He estimates based on studies FPV has done that their drone could reduce inspection costs to as little as 1/20th the cost of existing
That means it would be possible to monitor much more frequently than can be done currently, and in circumstances where risk to human
inspectors on the ground might be a necessary component of using more traditional means.Waver estimates that just taking into account
million in revenue) in 2020, and then to grow that by about $2 million per year in the next two fiscal years
With that capital, the company has already gone from working prototype (which you can see in the GIF above) to the much more polished
production version debuted at CES.Komagata, an engineer with a focus in drone development, envisions Waver being able to address challenges
addressing challenges like infrastructure inspection is definitely a good place to start.
