AI Engineers, Inc. (AI) is proud to announce the

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1 Augus t - Septem ber Is s ue VI The DIGITAL Download Gold Star Memorial Bridge Unmanned Aerial Systems UAS Bridge I nspection Pilot Project AI Engineers, Inc. (AI) is proud to announce the completion of the flight phase of the Unmanned Aerial System (UAS) Pilot Program for the Connecticut Department of Transportation (ConnDOT). Utilizing emerging and innovative technology AI, in conjunction with ConnDOT, conducted a UAS flight inspection of the Gold Star Memorial Bridge located in New London, Connecticut. Several flights were launched from both land sites and a barge on the Thames R i v e r. AI and its UAS vendor Exponent Technologies Services (ETS) successfully completed the field phase of the project using an Unmanned Aerial Vehicle (UAV) with an attached digital camera, which provided both high resolution photographs and a video stream Cl i ck a b o ve to vi ew a s h o rt vi d eo d o cu men ti n g th e UAS i n s p ecti o n p ro ces s

2 of the entire flight. Pre- Fli ght: U ntangling the Web of Regulati on In late 2015, AI approached ConnDOT with the idea of using UAS technology as a tool to supplement the bridge inspection process. With ConnDOT's approval AI assembled a project team which included personnel from AI, ETS and ConnDOT. The premise was to evaluate the effectiveness of using a UAS as a complementary tool and method in gaining access to difficult bridge elements and enhance the ability to conduct bridge inspections and verify current conditions which can supplement visual inspections. The Gold Star Memorial Bridge is the largest in Connecticut carrying I-95 North and Southbound traffic over the Thames River and servicing approximately 130,000 vehicles per day including a significant portion of truck traffic. The main and adjoining spans are deck truss construction with the main span being up to 60ft. deep deck truss with a vertical clearance of 135ft. above the river. The bridge was selected because of the ability to verify conditions documented by AI on a prior hands-on inspection of the bridge a year earlier; access to the main span had been limited in the past due to the height of its members from the river below; inspections using traditional methods (i.e., snooper trucks or barge mounted man-lifts) were costly and disruptive to traffic. AI had completed the inspection of the bridge using a rope access method which is an inherently risky and time consuming form of inspection. While use of a UAS would not obviate the need for a handson physical inspection, it could be an important tool for pinpointing critical or necessary areas in need of physical investigation prior to those inspections. "It i s a central beli ef o f o ur fi rm that the use o f i nno vati ve techno lo gi es as a to o l can help solve d ay to d ay engineering challenges fo r the benefi t o f o ur cli ents wi th regard to effi ci enci es and co st savi ngs." - Abul Islam, Presid ent and Found er of AI Engi neers, Inc. The Gold Star Memorial Bridge was also chosen because it represented an opportunity to conduct a bridge inspection using a UAS under several special site constraints in a single project. The unique site conditions of this bridge offered the chance to evaluate a host of Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) rules and regulations governing the commercial use of UAS. These unique conditions included:

3 The bridge carries a major Interstate Highway (I-95). The bridge is located within 5 miles of an air-traffic controlled (ATC) airport. The bridge spans a major river (Thames River). The bridge is located in a densely populated area. The bridge is located in close proximity to a major Amtrak railroad bridge. The bridge crosses local roads and private property. The bridge is located near an active seaport. The bridge is located in proximity to and along the travel entrance and exit path of a US Navy Nuclear Powered Submarine Base. UAS flight takeoffs and landings from a barge located in the river. FAA regulations require the Pilot-in-Command (PIC) to obtain clearance from airport authorities where the flight path will take the UAV within 5 miles of an air traffic controlled airport. The naval base and Coast Guard Academy also presented possible security risks and thus coordination was required. The most challenging part of the planning process for the pilot project was researching and obtaining all necessary approvals from the FAA. These approvals included: a Section 333 Exemption to operate a specific UAV commercially; a Certificate of Waiver or Authorization (COA); a UAV aircraft registered with the FAA; a special or "full" Certificate of Waiver or Authorization (COA) for flights within 5 miles of an air-traffic controlled airport; (which included an Agreement with the Airport Tower controller); A Notice to Airman (NOTAM); and a Pilot with an FAA airman certificate. "UAS Techno lo gy can help us supplement i nspecti o n o f the mai n span of this iconic brid ge which has been d i ffi cult to i nspect because of the d ifficulty involved i n reachi ng the members o f thi s section. Our previous physical i nspecti o n last year requi red speci al trai ni ng and ro pe access whi ch had si gni fi cant safety and cost concerns." - Aslam Sid d iqui, Executi ve Vi ce Presi d ent To navigate these regulations and obtain the required approvals and certifications, AI tapped its General Counsel, Michael Patenaude, to research the FAA regulations governing UAS usage, shepherd the process through initial development, draft a detailed plan, as well as, identifying and engaging a qualified UAS operator. This process led to the selection of Exponent Technology Services (ETS) as AI's UAS vendor due to its prior experience in flying UAVs commercially for similar type projects. ETS obtained an early Section 333 Exemption with approved services closely related to the bridge inspection needs necessary for this project. Through Mr. Patenaude's efforts and ETS's

4 expertise, ConnDOT was provided sufficient FAA approvals to satisfy its concerns and authorized the project to move forward to the UAS field flight test date of August 23,2016. The ultimate flight phase goal of this pilot project was to provide evidence that a UAS can deliver access to remote parts of the bridge and obtain digital photographs of preselected bridge elements for comparison to Flight Day: Putti ng the Technology to the Test The term UAS represents the entire system that incorporates all of the necessary components to make the UAV functional as an inspection tool. It's more than just the UAV; it's the entire system. The system is made up of a number of components including the aerial vehicle itself, computerized navigation system, GPS, control and monitoring devices, communications, power source, gimbal pivoting equipment support, data collection devices (i.e., photography and video, inferred, other), and data management software. The UAS used for this pilot project was the Align M690L comprising an 8 propeller vehicle, digital HD camera capable of capturing high definition and infrared video, and communication and control devices. The entire pilot program flight and photo/video data was transmitted in real time through live video streaming to ConnDOT staff so they could remotely watch and monitor. The UAS Pilot Program field test turned out to be a beautiful sunny and warm day perfect for the first project of its kind in Connecticut to proceed. The UAS performed flawlessly and provided remote visual inspection of all of the targeted areas of the two bridges which were largely not accessible via conventional methods.

5 prior inspection photos and data. The project team succeeded in accomplishing these goals and did so from multiple locations in significantly less time than previously estimated for in the plan. By all accounts, the UAS inspection was a success and proved the ability of this type of inspection access to be viable. Post- Fli ght: Expanding the U sage of U AS The UAS inspection flights provided a significant number of detailed photographs and a complete flight video that AI is in the process of assessing, all of which will be incorporated into a final project report to be delivered and presented to ConnDOT within the next couple of months. Initial feedback from ConnDOT was that they were pleased with the project planning and execution and are eager to see the results and discuss the future implementation of the use of UAS as a tool in future selected bridge inspection projects. "AI Started with rud imentary kno wled ge o f what was need ed to use UAS fo r co mmerci al purpo ses. Through this collaboration we have gained significant corporate intelligence on using UAS's for brid ge inspections. which puts us ahead of other engineering firms in i n the market." - Mi chael Patenaud e, General Co unsel AI has a firm-wide approach to solving its clients' problems and needs that is both innovative and pioneering when necessity dictates. Adoption and use of new technologies is a large part of our on-going approach to serving our clients. Having the chance to work directly with ConnDOT on this innovative pilot project was a great opportunity for us to demonstrate our expert services while working as part of a team to come up with the solutions needed to create a viable option for our client. Planning and implementation took the better part of 9 months to complete. Current changes to the FAA regulations with respect to UAS that took effect on August 29, 2016 mean that future use of UAS for commercial purposes, including bridge inspections, should be greatly streamlined. The full prospect of the use of UAS applications in support of engineering and inspection services is unknown, but it is being developed for possible adoption at an ever increasing pace. The possibilities are boundless with regard to the ability of this technology to provide simplified access to areas of the world that have proven difficult, if not impossible, to reach. AI is committed to continuing our examination and potential use

6 of this and other technologies that can bring greater value and enhanced performance to our clients now and into the future.