The world of paving is an ever changing landscape with new developments constantly being made. One of these latest developments is a drone that is capable of fixing potholes. This technology could be revolutionary in the speed and ease of road repair it provides. Imagine never having to worry about pot holes again, and any that you find can be fixed within a day if not hours. Utilizing drones cuts back on the amount of man power needed to fix the roads and would take a fraction of the time.
The drones are being developed by the researchers at the University of Leeds’ School of Mechanical Engineering. They are taking an imaginative approach to solving a billion dollar problem. With the yearly repair cost of pot holes in the United States being around $6 billion, being able to reduce the cost could come to a great benefit for the average driver.
Here is a video of the drone in action! The drone uses an onboard camera to scout out any spots that are in need of repair. Once it finds one it lands and makes sure it’s flat on the asphalt, then it starts dispensing the asphalt and other materials with an accuracy of up to 1 millimeter. This mixture not only fixes the pothole but reinforces the surrounding asphalt, making it last even longer.
There is still a ways to go before it is ready to take on the roads of the world, but this is an exciting step in pavement repair technology. I for one can’t wait to see where this leads.