Utilising uavs and AI software for data collection at roundabouts

Abstract

The use of Unmanned Aerial Vehicles (UAVs) for traffic observation has increased with advances in both drone technologies and video analytics. Improvements in video analytics for identifying and tracking vehicles in two dimensions means that it is now possible to collect and analyse vehicle paths and traffic movement dynamics. This is useful for understanding vehicle movements through roundabouts. This paper will report on a large study using UAVs to collect data at over 100 roundabouts across four regions in South Africa, specifically considering the process of data collection using drones and the software requirements for data extraction. Vehicle operations at roundabouts were recorded by UAV-mounted cameras during peak traffic hours from optimal vantage points. The footage was then uploaded to a cloud-based video analytics platform for processing and scaled to the relevant coordinate system. The video analytics platform was found to provide accurate measurements and movement dynamics of vehicles as they travel through the camera view. Analytics that are directly available from the platform include point speeds at specific locations, acceleration, deceleration, and gap acceptance. Traffic counts and turning movements are also identified because every vehicle traversing the roundabout is tracked. This paper will further report on the post-analysis techniques that were followed to analyse the data and extract the relevant performance measures required for further research.