UK Consortium Launches STRUCTURE Project to Automate Masonry Bridge Inspection
The maintenance of thousands of masonry bridges across the United Kingdom is set to be transformed with the deployment of drone technology to automate their inspection. A consortium of British partners — drone manufacturer Evolve Dynamics, Birmingham City University, and National Highways — has announced the STRUCTURE project, an initiative to explore how uncrewed aerial systems (UAS) and advanced sensing technologies can support more efficient, consistent and data-driven inspection of critical infrastructure.
Targeting aging, hard-to-inspect assets
The UK is home to thousands of masonry bridges and similar structures, many built more than a century ago and now requiring regular assessment to remain safe and serviceable. Traditional inspection of these assets has long been labour-intensive, inconsistent and disruptive. The STRUCTURE project aims to change that by equipping drones with sensing technologies capable of detecting both surface and subsurface defects, supporting more consistent and repeatable inspection of masonry structures. By enabling earlier identification of structural issues and improving the quality of inspection data, the new approach is designed to reduce disruption, optimise maintenance cycles and deliver long-term cost savings.
The WOLFE platform at the core
The programme will be centred on Evolve Dynamics’ WOLFE platform, a British-built 4kg UAS designed for reliability in demanding environments and the rapid integration of advanced sensor payloads. Engineers will equip WOLFE with the sensing capability to detect surface and subsurface defects. Data captured by the aircraft will then be analysed using algorithms developed by Birmingham City University’s School of Architecture, Built Environment, Computing and Engineering. Those models will support the development of automated crack detection and predictive maintenance tools, helping asset owners identify where intervention may be required before faults become critical.
A living laboratory in the Historical Railways Estate
National Highways will support the programme by providing access to a range of structures for testing and validation, ensuring the technology is assessed against real-world infrastructure challenges. The project has particular relevance to the Historical Railways Estate, a collection of more than 3,100 structures and assets that were once part of Britain’s rail network. National Highways has been responsible for managing the estate on behalf of the Department for Transport since 2013, and many of its bridges and viaducts were built more than 100 years ago, making them ideal candidates for the new inspection approach.
From demanding environments to national infrastructure
Evolve Dynamics, founded in 2016 and now employing more than 60 people across the UK and Ukraine, has built its reputation supplying UAS for defence, security and infrastructure applications. Its chief executive, Tom Redman, framed the project as part of a broader trend. “We have developed our systems to perform reliably in complex, real-world environments,” Redman said. “The STRUCTURE project is an opportunity to apply that capability to UK infrastructure, working alongside British partners to improve how critical assets are monitored and maintained. It reflects a broader trend where technology proven in high-demand environments is now being applied to national infrastructure.”
Better data, lower disruption, protected heritage
Fiona Smith, Senior Civil Engineer at National Highways, said the project could reshape how the agency cares for its structures. “Innovation is key to helping us manage and maintain the structures within the Historical Railways Estate more effectively,” Smith said. “This project will explore how drone technology and advanced data analysis can improve the way we inspect our assets, providing higher-quality information to support maintenance decisions, reduce disruption, and help protect these important heritage assets for the future while delivering better value for money.” Further details are available at www.structure-ai.org.
A growing role for drones in asset inspection
The STRUCTURE project sits within a wider push across the infrastructure sector to adopt drone-based inspection. For agencies managing large, ageing estates on constrained budgets, the appeal is clear: drones can gather consistent, high-quality data on hard-to-reach structures faster and more safely than traditional rope-access or scaffolding methods, while automated analysis turns that imagery into prioritised maintenance decisions. If the project’s real-world trials succeed, the partners expect the approach to scale across the strategic road network and beyond, setting a template for how heritage assets are monitored in the future.
Source: sUAS News — “Drone technology set to revolutionise bridge inspection” (September 2026).
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