Miles SmithAlaska’s efforts to use drone technology to improve access to underserved and hard-to-reach communities recently got a boost thanks to a $12.4 million grant from the Department of Transportation.
The Strengthening Mobility and Revolutionizing Transportation (SMART) grant will allow the state to implement the Scalable Operations and Advanced Remote Technologies (SOAR) Initiative, which involves using advanced drones that can fly long distances to improve safety and transportation where roads, trails and other infrastructure are hard to access.
SOAR is a collaborative effort between the Alaska Department of Transportation & Public Facilities and the California Department of Transportation. The project is designed to deploy drones to enhance infrastructure inspection, environmental monitoring and disaster response.
The goal is to improve safety, reduce greenhouse gas emissions (GHG) and standardize data acquisition, Alaska DOT&PF said.
The initiative follows ARROW, Alaska’s first SMART grant program, which was established to advance smart city or community technologies and systems that improve transportation efficiency and safety.
“Improving safety for Alaskans living and traveling in rural and remote areas of our state is part of Alaska DOT&PF’s mission,” said Alaska DOT&PF Commissioner Ryan Anderson. “This project will help modernize community decision-making through advanced technologies, information gathering and communications about surface conditions, weather, temperatures and information on special situations such as such as floods or fire.”
The implementation of SOAR in Alaska is expected to serve as a model for addressing transportation challenges beyond the state, eventually serving underserved and hard-to-access communities across the nation. Alaska and California are seeking a $14.4 million SMART Grants Stage 2 award to advance the program, DOT&PF said.
Goals of the program include:
- Using drones to monitor and respond to environmental and infrastructure challenges in real time, reducing risks to human workers and increasing efficiency.
- Deploying advanced remote sensing and autonomous technologies to ensure transportation reliability, even in extreme weather conditions.
- Creating job opportunities in rural and underserved communities through workforce development programs and partnerships with local organizations.
- Reducing carbon emissions by integrating renewable energy sources, such as solar-powered drone docks and energy storage systems, into transportation operations.
