Drones are being used by Essex Highways to inspect more than 1,500 bridges and culverts.

Drones can capture high-definition airborne or waterborne views of hard-to-reach spaces, like the undersides or parapets of bridges over busy roads.

The equipment can take imagery in confined spaces, such as culverts under the road or underwater such as bridge foundations in a river.

Watch the video here: https://youtu.be/mXfxVFhhjZI

Councillor Lee Scott, Essex County Council's cabinet member for Highways Maintenance and Sustainable Transport, said: "We have around 1,500 bridges and culverts across the county and if we have to close them, residents, businesses, local services, and other road users all suffer.

“The council is completely committed to bringing this and other innovations forward quickly to help us manage all our bridges and other structural assets to help us get the maximum value from highways budgets."

Their strategic partnership is with Ringway Jacobs.