Using Drone Swarms to Inspect Post-Disaster Bridge Cables

A team of undergrads has developed a low-cost, collaborative algorithm for structural health monitoring without scaffolding.
Content:
The Team: Sarah Chen (EE), Marcos Diaz (CE), and Priya Patel (Robotics).
The Problem: After an earthquake, inspecting high-tension bridge cables is dangerous and slow.
The Solution: The team bypassed expensive LiDAR drones. Using only visual odometry and a mesh network protocol, their three-drone swarm autonomously maps cable surfaces. Drone A scans the top; Drone B scans the bottom; Drone C cross-references for corrosion.
The Result: 98% defect detection rate at 1/10th the cost of traditional manned inspection.
Next Steps: The team has filed a provisional patent and is seeking pilot partners in the Pacific Northwest.