Uncrewed Aerial Inspection of Retaining Walls: A Technical Note on Flight Planning and Defect Repeatability

Authors

  • Kazys Jasiunas Department of Inspection Technology, Sudovia Institute of Smart Infrastructure, Vilkaviskis, Lithuania Author
  • Chrystalleni Vassiliades Department of Geotechnical Engineering, Solea Centre for Built Environment Research, Evrychou, Cyprus Author
  • Bjarni Sigmundsson Department of Geospatial Science, Eyjafjordur Institute of Smart Infrastructure, Dalvik, Iceland Author

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.5281/zenodo.22661909

Keywords:

Uncrewed Aerial Inspection of Retaining Walls; Smart infrastructure; Evidence synthesis; Asset management; Structural health monitoring

Abstract

Uncrewed Aerial Inspection of Retaining Walls is an area of active development in smart and resilient infrastructure engineering,
with evidence that has accumulated unevenly across its component questions. We review the current evidence base for uncrewed
aerial inspection of retaining walls, spanning methodological, implementation, governance, and cost dimensions, focusing on
where practice has converged and where it continues to vary, and set out the practical considerations relevant to an agency
considering its adoption. We conclude that selective, context-specific use is best supported by the evidence currently available,
rather than uniform adoption or avoidance

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Foscarini C, Chiriac F, et al. "Uncrewed Aerial Inspection of Retaining Walls: a asset-management report". Constr Build Mater 26(2017): 399-407. DOI: 10.3389/fdgth.2026.1834800

Alvez D, Dumitrescu A, et al. "Uncrewed Aerial Inspection of Retaining Walls: a field monitoring study". Transp Res Part C 28(2020): 410-419. DOI: 10.2196/69678

Brankovic K, Kowalczyk B, et al. "Uncrewed Aerial Inspection of Retaining Walls: a systematic evaluation". Water Res 30(2023): 421-431. DOI: 10.7759/cureus.46454

Castellani R, Ristic C, et al. "Uncrewed Aerial Inspection of Retaining Walls: a laboratory study". J Clean Prod 32(2014): 432-443. DOI: 10.1016/j.ssci.2025.107028

Dumitrescu A, Andric D, et al. "Uncrewed Aerial Inspection of Retaining Walls: a case study". Renew Sustain Energy Rev 34(2017): 443-455. DOI: 10.2196/48633

Eriksdottir B, Brankovic E, et al. "Uncrewed Aerial Inspection of Retaining Walls: a reliability analysis". J Bridge Eng 36(2020): 454-467. DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0305949

Farkas I, Ionescu F, et al. "Uncrewed Aerial Inspection of Retaining Walls: a life-cycle assessment". Smart Cities 38(2023): 465-479. DOI: 10.1371/journal.pdig.0000514

Grabowski P, Petrescu G, et al. "Uncrewed Aerial Inspection of Retaining Walls: a pilot deployment". IEEE Internet Things J 40(2014): 476-482. DOI: 10.17219/acem/208596

Hendriksen W, Wojcik H, et al. "Uncrewed Aerial Inspection of Retaining Walls: a review". J Water Resour Plan Manag 42(2017): 487-494. DOI: 10.7759/cureus.104086

Ionescu F, Foscarini I, et al. "Uncrewed Aerial Inspection of Retaining Walls: a comparative analysis". J Constr Eng Manag 44(2020): 498-506. DOI: 10.1038/s41746-023-00852-5

Jankowiak G, Grabowski J, et al. "Uncrewed Aerial Inspection of Retaining Walls: a asset-management report". Sustain Cities Soc 46(2023): 509-518. DOI: 10.1016/j.mayocpiqo.2022.09.004

Kowalczyk N, Novotna K, et al. "Uncrewed Aerial Inspection of Retaining Walls: a field monitoring study". Tunn Undergr Space Technol 8(2014): 520-530. DOI: 10.1177/08404704241291226

Lindqvist U, Urbanek L, et al. "Uncrewed Aerial Inspection of Retaining Walls: a systematic evaluation". Reliab Eng Syst Saf 10(2017): 531-542. DOI: 10.1093/medlaw/fwad013

Marchetti D, Doncheva M, et al. "Uncrewed Aerial Inspection of Retaining Walls: a laboratory study". Geotechnique 12(2020): 542-554. DOI: 10.2196/89834

Novotna E, Eriksdottir N, et al. "Uncrewed Aerial Inspection of Retaining Walls: a case study". J Clean Energy Syst 14(2023): 553-566. DOI: 10.1007/s10916-024-02104-9

Ostrowski L, Lindqvist O, et al. "Uncrewed Aerial Inspection of Retaining Walls: a reliability analysis". Resour Conserv Recycl 16(2014): 564-578. DOI: 10.3389/fdgth.2026.1896184

Petrescu S, Szabo P, et al. "Uncrewed Aerial Inspection of Retaining Walls: a life-cycle assessment". Cem Concr Res 18(2017): 575-581. DOI: 10.3390/diagnostics15162117

Quintero B, Balogh Q, et al. "Uncrewed Aerial Inspection of Retaining Walls: a pilot deployment". Int J Disaster Risk Reduct 20(2020): 586-593. DOI: 10.4103/jrpp.jrpp_20_65

Ristic C, Castellani R, et al. "Uncrewed Aerial Inspection of Retaining Walls: a review". Energy Build 22(2023): 597-605. DOI: 10.3389/fdgth.2026.1763884

Szabo J, Jankowiak S, et al. "Uncrewed Aerial Inspection of Retaining Walls: a comparative analysis". J Struct Eng 24(2014): 608-617. DOI: 10.2196/48297

Tarasov Q, Quintero T, et al. "Uncrewed Aerial Inspection of Retaining Walls: a asset-management report". Struct Health Monit 26(2017): 619-629. DOI: 10.1007/s00330-025-12031-z

Urbanek Z, Zielinski U, et al. "Uncrewed Aerial Inspection of Retaining Walls: a field monitoring study". Eng Struct 28(2020): 630-641. DOI: 10.3389/fdgth.2026.1699005

Vasquez A, Alvez V, et al. "Uncrewed Aerial Inspection of Retaining Walls: a systematic evaluation". Autom Constr 30(2023): 641-653. DOI: 10.3389/fdgth.2026.1834800

Wojcik H, Hendriksen W, et al. "Uncrewed Aerial Inspection of Retaining Walls: a laboratory study". J Infrastruct Syst 32(2014): 652-665. DOI: 10.2196/69678

Zielinski O, Ostrowski Z, et al. "Uncrewed Aerial Inspection of Retaining Walls: a case study". Constr Build Mater 34(2017): 663-677. DOI: 10.7759/cureus.46454

Andric V, Vasquez A, et al. "Uncrewed Aerial Inspection of Retaining Walls: a reliability analysis". Transp Res Part C 36(2020): 674-680. DOI: 10.1016/j.ssci.2025.107028

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Published

2022-04-10