Road sector deploys specialized survey vehicles and UAVs to digitize infrastructure data (11/09/2026)

A specialized survey vehicle collects data on the current condition of road surfaces and major bridges. Photo: Department for Roads of Vietnam.

According to Mr. Le Van Thanh, Director of the Northern Road Technology and Engineering Center, in August the unit coordinated with Road Management Region I to deploy a road-surface data survey vehicle to collect data in support of management and maintenance work. This is a technology researched, developed and mastered by the Center, enabling the collection of road-surface condition data to support digitization of the road system.

Alongside the specialized survey vehicle, UAVs are being used to collect data on bridge works and areas at risk of landslides. The Center has also built an artificial intelligence (AI) model to analyze bridge data. The analytical software is being rolled out in phases, aiming to support the identification of damage and assessment of the likelihood of incidents.

The use of UAVs in surveying also helps limit the need to send personnel directly to locations that pose safety risks in the field. For landslide monitoring, the data collected will be used to assess current conditions and help determine solutions to prevent natural-disaster risks to infrastructure and road users.

According to the Northern Road Technology and Engineering Center, data digitization is one of the priority areas being implemented as part of the shift in road management and maintenance methods. The goal is to gradually digitize data on the road system managed by the Department for Roads of Vietnam and bring the data into a centralized management system to support management and maintenance.

The implementation roadmap is designed so that the Department for Roads of Vietnam first carries out tasks within the scope of central-level management, before supporting localities in rolling out the approach. In the third quarter of 2026, the road-surface data survey vehicle is being used to carry out tasks under the Department for Roads of Vietnam; it is then expected to be applied more broadly in localities nationwide in the early months of 2027.

To implement digitization on a wide scale, human resources and funding have been identified as requirements that still need to be addressed. According to Mr. Le Van Thanh, digital transformation in the road sector requires resources in artificial intelligence and information technology, while personnel with expertise in these fields remain limited.

The Center plans to add technology personnel, thereby building a team capable of developing solutions and databases and supporting implementation at the local level. The goal by 2027 is to support localities with human resources and databases, gradually forming a data platform to serve the management, operation and maintenance of the road system.

The deployment of specialized survey vehicles, UAVs and AI tools for data collection and analysis is being carried out by the road sector in a manner that combines digitization of infrastructure conditions, data analysis, and data-driven management and maintenance. This also provides a basis for gradually shifting from survey and inspection methods that are mainly conducted in person to the use of digital data in managing the road system.

Translate by: DT