The Competition After a massive 2020 EDVY contest that garnered votes from more than 60 countries worldwide, the Alabama Department of Transportation’s UAS team took the crown, edging out two stellar submissions from Lockwood, Andrews & Newnam (LAN) that featured two projects: The Northeast Transmission Waterline in Houston, Texas and Exploration Green in Clear Lake, Texas respectively. The 2020 EDVY contest began back on March 13th, which, in a year that has pushed the conversation about the benefits of unmanned systems to the forefront, seems like ages ago to most people in the AEC industry. Despite shutdowns, lockdowns, quarantines, and everything else that this year has given us, this award should give us something to look forward to on the horizon. In just a few short years, UAVs, drones, and other unmanned systems have gone from a novelty hobby with a few specific uses in the AEC industry to an entire, burgeoning field of study and development. As of this year, many firms within the industry have their own internal departments specifically dedicated to unmanned systems, and many of those that don’t outsource the same services to UAS/V companies who service engineering and construction firms. The potential for unmanned systems in the world of engineering is limitless, and they are capable of taking the industry to previ- ously unseen heights. As the potential is limitless, so the uses are equally diverse. From topographic mapping to monitoring water loss and underground shifting, the application of UAVs to problems within the industry is growing exponentially. The Winning Video The ALDOT UAS team’s winning submission exemplifies this bur- geoning technology growth in the industry. Lasting two minutes and fifty seconds, the winning video is a compilation of projects from AL- DOT over the course of a year—titled “ALDOT: AYear in Review”. ALDOT’s UAS team was able to couple numerous breathtaking drone footage shots with an action-inducing soundtrack to display not only the natural beauty of drone-footage but also its ability to change our perspective and provide new insight that cannot be gained from the Voters from Argentina to Luxembourg and everywhere in between have made their voices heard, crowning the Alabama Department of Transportation (ALDOT) this year’s competition winner. By Luke Carothers Aerial Alabama: ALDOT’s UAS Team Wins the 2020 EDVY Contest
ground. Stylized transitions serve not only a purpose of looking good, but also serve to transition the viewer from one practical application to the next. Additionally, ALDOT’s video shows the vast range of environments in which UAS/V technology can be applicable. By switching from shots of wide, rural projects to urban projects as well as projects over water, AL- DOT’s video is yet another testimony to the variety of UAS/V applications. The Winners The Alabama Department of Transportation began using drones for various projects in 2016, but it took until 2019 for the program to be
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december 2020
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