Applications of UAVs and AI in Civil Engineering: A Systematic Review of Current Uses and Future Directions in Road Construction

Abstract This review paper explores the combined use of unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) and artificial intelligence (AI), with a particular focus on the You Only Look Once (YOLO) algorithm in construction. It explores the current use of these technologies in the broader construction industry, highlighting that, while they are widely used across various construction tasks, their application in road construction remains quite limited. Through a systematic review of recent studies, this paper identifies how UAVs and AI are currently being used in areas such as real-time progress monitoring, pavement distress (PD) detection, and safety inspections. However, it also points out key areas that remain underexplored, such as volume calculation and the comprehensive inspection of road layers. The findings suggest that integrating UAVs with AI can significantly improve construction task's speed, accuracy, and automation, particularly in road projects. As the use of these technologies in road construction is still in its early stages, this paper also discusses potential directions for future research. By identifying current gaps and proposing new opportunities, this review aims to support the development of more efficient, precise, and cost-effective practices in the road construction industry.