This project will use unmanned aerial systems (UAS) and other technological advances to improve the safety, integrity, resiliency, environmental impact, and cost of maintaining the critical…

The U.S. Department of Transportation's Immediate Office of the Secretary awarded the New York State Thruway Authority a $14.87 million Project Grant under the Strengthening Mobility and Revolutionizing Transportation (SMART) Grants Program (CFDA 20.941) on August 1, 2025, with a completion deadline of July 31, 2028. This demonstration project will employ unmanned aerial systems (UAS) and other technological advances to improve the safety, integrity, resiliency, environmental impact, and cost-effectiveness of critical transportation infrastructure maintenance operations across the 570-mile New York State Thruway network.

The SMART Grants Program, established under the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act with $100 million appropriated annually through fiscal year 2026, supports competitive awards to eligible public sector entities for demonstration projects utilizing advanced smart city and community technologies. This award represents a Stage Two implementation grant, enabling the Thruway Authority to conduct full-scale deployment of UAS-based infrastructure inspection and maintenance solutions that will benefit the millions of travelers who rely on the state's critical highway system while building technological capacity and data analytics capabilities within the organization.

This project will use unmanned aerial systems (UAS) and other technological advances to improve the safety, integrity, resiliency, environmental impact, and cost of maintaining the critical infrastructure that millions of travelers rely on.