Aerial view of large suspension bridge over water, moody overcast light, deep shadows on steel cables
Structural Inspection

Harbor Bridge Inspection

National Highways AuthorityBristol, UK20243 days

Project Overview

A Grade I listed suspension bridge requiring its 5-year structural inspection. Traditional rope-access inspection would have required 6 weeks and full lane closures. DroneVision completed the full inspection in 3 days with zero traffic disruption.

The Challenge

The bridge's listed status required non-contact inspection methods. The main span's height and the river's tidal flow created challenging flying conditions, while the steel cable geometry required precise close-proximity navigation.

Our Solution

We used a combination of our long-range inspection drone with 30× optical zoom for standoff inspection and our compact close-proximity platform for cable and soffit access. AI-assisted defect detection processed 14,000 images to flag 47 areas requiring further review.

Project Gallery

Aerial view of suspension bridge over water with moody overcast light

Full span overview — Day 1

Close-up aerial view of bridge cable anchorage and deck structure

Cable anchorage inspection

Aerial view of bridge tower and suspension cables from above

Tower crown inspection

Project Outcomes

−78%Inspection time vs. rope access
ZeroTraffic disruption
14,000Images captured & processed
47Defect areas flagged by AI

Services Delivered

Structural Inspection
AI Defect Detection
Photogrammetric 3D Modelling
Compliance Reporting

Project Details

ClientNational Highways Authority
IndustryInfrastructure
LocationBristol, UK
Duration3 days
Year2024

Similar project in mind?

Tell us about your brief and we'll put together a tailored proposal.

Request a Quote