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U.S. Department of Transportation U.S. Department of Transportation Icon United States Department of Transportation United States Department of Transportation

Line-of-Sight Analysis Using Drones and Photogrammetry

Document Series:
Research Results
Author:
  • Federal Railroad Administration
Report Number
RR 21-23
Office
RDI-23
Subject:
Grade Crossing TechnologyHighway-Rail Grade Crossings
Keywords:
Photogrammetry, line-of-sight, grade crossing, railroad safety
Document

The U. S. Department of Transportation’s (U.S. DOT) John A. Volpe National Transportation Systems Center (Volpe), under the direction of the U.S. DOT Federal Railroad Administration (FRA) Office of Research, Development and Technology (RD&T), evaluated the effectiveness of using drones and photogrammetry software to conduct line-of-sight analyses of selected grade crossings. Researchers selected crossings with no active warning equipment nor stop signs for this study because they assumed drivers would stop upon seeing a train approach. This study aimed to determine if conditions allowed for sufficient time to stop, given the visual obstructions that exist.


Last updated: Monday, November 29, 2021