Drones inspect bridges in Worcestershire County Council trial

The drones use cameras to inspect the bridges from multiple angles, including from underneath the structures

Drones fitted with cameras are being trialled to check the integrity of Worcestershire bridges in a bid to cut the number of closures.

The devices can be flown by a pilot while an inspector examines the structures from the images.

The county council said the equipment could help maintain Worcestershire's 1,500 bridges more efficiently.

Councillor Mike Rouse said drivers and rail passengers could benefit if the structures were not closed as often.

"We have about 1,500 bridge structures across the county and if we need to close them, residents and businesses are all inconvenienced," he said.

"This will help us get the maximum value from our budget."

The council said, however, it was too early to say whether drones would lead to saving money.

The trial is still in its infancy and the council says it needs to make sure the collected information meets UK requirements for bridge inspections.

It adds that using drones could also make the process safer for the people inspecting bridges.

Drones for the same purpose have been used elsewhere in the UK as well as for structures including sewers, weirs and a nuclear site.

Worcestershire County Council said the trial could help it get more value from its budget

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