The inspections and assessments of the structural integrity of large infrastructures (eg. dams, bridges and high voltage cables) are inadequate because they are not performed in a systematic manner and they greatly depend on the personal criteria of the inspection engineers. Additionally, certain areas of these structures or difficult to reach by conventional means and the locations where data can be acquired are limited which in turn can compromise the quality of the gathered information and make these inspections costly. Some of the already existing solutions based on multicopters are completely dependent on a certified operator and/or GPS, lacking the ability to perform an autonomous survey without the support of an infrastructure that supplies the platform with global positioning signals. The solution proposed by ELEVAR consists of utilizing an autonomous unmanned aircraft integrated with sensors and vision-based navigation algorithms to solve the above-mentioned problems. ELEVAR offers functionalities that together offer a unique service at an international level. It is a transversal service, directed to several target sectors. It is inserted in both industry and state markets, proposing a solution with the agility and usability both as a product for sale and specialized service for hire.

The entities involved – TEKEVER ASDS as project leader and UAV expert, IST/ISR and LNEC – are highly specialised in their respective areas of expertise and together form a balanced consortium. The project aims to deliver a functional prototype obtained from the integration of the technologies and know-how that the consortium partners possess. The project will end with a demonstration activity with the ambition of giving visibility to the ELEVAR solution and attracting the investments of the target sectors, namely possible end-users, service providing companies, social media, etc.