After being charged with the task of conducting the most comprehensive UAS-based inspections in the industry by Norfolk Southern back in early 2016, Virginia Beach-based Hazon Solutions has announced that it has inspected more than 100,000 linear feet of railway bridges.

Over the last year and a half, Hazon has conducted more than 64 complete bridge inspections across the eastern United States, which has left CEO and co-founder David A. Culler, Jr. CAPT USN (ret) extremely pleased.

“We're very proud to announce this remarkable milestone,” Culler says.

“The experience and expertise that HAZON has gained on the UAS inspection front have been invaluable; it has allowed us to move beyond proof-of-concept and into the transition period of integrating drones into the daily workflow. It's a very exciting time for the entire drone ecosystem and the customers we serve.”

During Hazon’s inspections, the company uses high definition (HD) still frame, video and thermal imaging cameras to provide complete coverage of an entire bridge.

In an effort to capture the highest quality pictures possible, Hazon’s inspection teams fly within 15 feet of the rail bridges, and they also use proprietary techniques to fly under and inside bridge spans, so that they can collect imagery from angles that were unavailable before.

COO and co-founder Sean Cushing, CDR USN (ret), says that the company’s inspections are truly comprehensive.

“We're not just getting exterior shots, we're flying underneath and inside the voids of bridges to make sure critical load bearing areas are covered from every possible angle,” Cushing says.

“We also capture shots of every single bottom lateral and gusset plate; best of all, we don't consume any track time. We collect actionable information and trains keep moving.”

​Outside of bridge inspections, Hazon also inspects power transmission lines in the energy sector as well.