Seoul Metropolitan Government showcases unmanned inspection technologies using smart sensors and AI

Oh vows to make contactless checks standard at bridge and overpass demolition sites

Seoul Mayor Oh Se-hoon listens to an explanation of autonomous-drone bridge defect detection technology during a demonstration of new unmanned inspection systems for aging bridges at Han River Bridge on Monday morning. [Seoul Metropolitan Government]
Seoul Mayor Oh Se-hoon listens to an explanation of autonomous-drone bridge defect detection technology during a demonstration of new unmanned inspection systems for aging bridges at Han River Bridge on Monday morning. [Seoul Metropolitan Government]

The Seoul Metropolitan Government will apply new unmanned inspection technologies to strengthen safety monitoring of Han River bridges. The move follows a fatal accident at the Seosomun Overpass in May, when a worker was killed during a safety inspection, and reflects the city's push to build a tighter safety net — covering hard-to-reach areas invisible to the naked eye while also protecting the inspectors themselves.

The city said Seoul Mayor Oh Se-hoon climbed to the upper inspection walkway of Han River Bridge on Monday morning to personally assess the structure's condition. Oh then moved to the western riverbank near Nodeul Island beneath the bridge, where he observed live demonstrations of unmanned inspection technologies using drones, smart sensors and AI, and evaluated their potential for real-world bridge safety management.

The inspection was organized to explore how unmanned technologies could help detect early signs of damage or abnormalities in aging bridges and reduce blind spots in areas difficult for inspectors to access directly. The city selected four new unmanned inspection technologies through a public competition in August and is now verifying each technology's performance and field applicability on actual bridges.

Four technologies were demonstrated on site: drone-based bridge damage analysis, smart-sensor detection of cable abnormalities, video-based monitoring of tension member conditions, and autonomous-drone detection of internal bridge defects.

The city has been expanding the use of unmanned inspection technologies — including drones and robots — to reduce blind spots in bridge safety checks and protect inspectors. The four selected technologies are currently being field-tested at Mapo Bridge, World Cup Bridge, Wonhyo Bridge and Seongsan Bridge. Performance and field applicability will be evaluated through December, with top-performing technologies set for pilot deployment in Han River bridge safety inspections and diagnostics starting next year.

In addition, unmanned inspection technologies will be used at demolition sites for aging bridges and overpasses. At sites where safety has not been confirmed, the city has made contactless unmanned inspection using drones and robots the standard approach to prevent secondary accidents.

"Deploying unmanned inspection technologies such as drones and robots at dangerous sites that previously required direct human access will significantly reduce the risk of accidents," Oh said. "As technologies capable of conducting precise inspections in places difficult for people to reach continue to advance, a path is opening up to reduce on-site dangers."

"In particular, we will apply unmanned inspection as the standard at bridge and overpass demolition sites where safety has not been confirmed, in order to prevent secondary accidents," he added. "We will develop more unmanned inspection equipment using cutting-edge technology to ensure safer construction and supervision."


ikson@heraldcorp.com