UAS and AI Technologies for Autonomous Built Asset Inspection and Management
Overview
This project shows the pathway of Unmanned Aerial System (UAS) applications in smart built environment with a focus on AI based fully autonomous data collection, 3D reconstruction, fault diagnosis and systematic management of as-built information with BIM/GIS based digital-twin platforms. Our core technologies lie in two main aspects: 1) Development of a software framework for single/multi-drone applications covering the task management, motion planning, dynamic control, environment perception, visualization and interaction with system users. 2) Integration of UAS, AI and digital platforms for urban environment inspection, monitoring and management.
Research completion
2022
Commercialisation opportunities
technology licensing agreementcontract service
Problem addressed
The project outcomes can not only enhance built asset management efficiency and accuracy but also reduce labour costs and safety hazards in multi-scale indoor and outdoor environment inspection and monitoring scenarios.
Innovation
- A fully autonomous multi-drone based data collection system
- AI based high-precision defect detection and 3D reconstruction
- Digital driven defect regsitration and management system
Key impact
- Reduce the time and labor cost for on-site data collection
- Improve the accuracy of defect detection and efficiency of model reconstruction
- Improve the efficiency of built asset information management
Award
- Drone and AI-based Digital Platform for Outdoor Built Asset Inspection and Information Management; Prize: Geneva Bronze Medal
- Autonomous Indoor Drone Inspection and Modeling System, Prize: Geneva Bronze Medal
- Professor Charles K. Ko Student Creativity Award, Postgraduate Group 2nd Runner-up
- Professor Charles K. Ko Student Creativity Award, Postgraduate Group Champion
- YDC Dare to Change Business Pitch Competition, Best Business Idea Award
Application
- Property management
- Environmental survey
- 3D reconstruction
- BIM model generation
Patent
- A human-in-the-loop system for mobile robot task planning (Patent application in progress)
- Multi-View Stereo with Learnable Cost Metric for 3D reconstruction (US Patent application in progress)
The Chinese University of Hong Kong (CUHK)
Founded in 1963, The Chinese University of Hong Kong (CUHK) is a forward-looking comprehensive research university with a global vision and a mission to combine tradition with modernity, and to bring together China and the West. CUHK teachers and students hail from all around the world. Four Nobel laureates are associated with the university, and it is the only tertiary institution in Hong Kong with recipients of the Nobel Prize, Turing Award, Fields Medal and Veblen Prize sitting as faculty in residence. CUHK graduates are connected worldwide through an extensive alumni network. CUHK undertakes a wide range of research programmes in many subject areas, and strives to provide scope for all academic staff to undertake consultancy and collaborative projects with industry.
Enquiry
