Traffic data acquirement by unmanned aerial vehicle. Issue 1 (1st January 2017)

• Record Type: Journal Article
• Authors: Salvo, Giuseppe; Caruso, Luigi; Scordo, Alessandro; Guido, Giuseppe; Vitale, Alessandro
• Is Part Of: European journal of remote sensing. Volume 50:Issue 1(2017)
• Page Start: 343
• Page End: 351
• Publication Date: 2017-01-01
• Subjects: Traffic data -- vehicle trajectories -- UAV -- GPS; Remote sensing -- Periodicals; Remote sensing; Electronic journals; Periodicals; 621.3678
• DOI: 10.1080/22797254.2017.1328978
• Languages: English
• ISSNs: 2279-7254

Abstract

ABSTRACT: This paper presents a methodology aimed to acquire traffic flow data through the employment of unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs). The study is focused on the determination of driving behavior parameters of road users and on the reconstruction of traffic flow Origin/Destination matrix. The methodology integrates UAV flights with video image processing technique, and the capability of geographic information systems, to represent spatiotemporal phenomena. In particular, analyzing different intersections, the attention of the authors is focused on users' gap acceptance in a naturalistic drivers' behavior condition (drivers are not influenced by the presence of instruments and operators on the roadway) and on the reconstruction of vehicle paths. Drivers' level of aggressiveness is determined by understanding how drivers decide that a gap is crossable and, consequently, how their behavior is critical in relation to a moving stream of traffic with serious road safety implications. The results of these experiments highlight the usefulness of the UAVs technology, that combined with video processing technique allows the capture of real traffic conditions with a good level of accuracy.