DOT&PF awarded $12.4 Million SMART Grant for use of drones in rural and remote Alaska

Improving the safety of Alaskans in rural and remote areas took a significant step forward lasts week with a $12.4 million SMART Grant award from the U.S. Department of Transportation. This funding will enable the Alaska Department of Transportation & Public Facilities (DOT&PF) to implement the Scalable Operations and Advanced Remote Technologies (SOAR) Initiative.

The SOAR project will use advanced drones that can fly long distances to improve safety and transportation in places where roads, trails and other infrastructure are hard to access.

“Improving safety for Alaskans living and traveling in rural and remote areas of our state is part of Alaska DOT&PF’s mission,” said Commissioner Ryan Anderson, Alaska DOT&PF. “This project will help modernize community decision-making through advanced technologies, information gathering, and communications about surface conditions, weather, temperatures, and information on special situations such as such as floods or fire.”

The SOAR Initiative builds upon the success of Phase 1 of the ARROW (Alaska Rural Remote Operations Work Plan) Program, integrating cutting-edge technologies such as Beyond Visual Line of Sight (BVLOS) unmanned aircraft systems (UAS), drone-in-a-box solutions, advanced communications infrastructure, and real-time data management.

Key objectives of the SOAR Initiative include enhancing transportation safety by utilizing UAS to monitor and respond to environmental and infrastructure challenges in real time, reducing risks to human workers and increasing efficiency; improving resiliency by deploying advanced remote sensing and autonomous technologies to ensure transportation reliability, even in extreme weather conditions; economic growth by creating job opportunities in rural and underserved communities through workforce development programs and partnerships with local organizations; and climate sustainability through the reduction of carbon emissions by integrating renewable energy sources, such as solar-powered drone docks and energy storage systems, into transportation operations.

The implementation of SOAR will serve as a model for addressing transportation challenges not only here in Alaska, but across the nation. This initiative will support critical infrastructure monitoring, emergency response, and environmental stewardship, while advancing the use of innovative technologies in public-sector operations.

Funded through the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law, the SMART Grants Program provides resources to state, local, and Tribal governments to develop and deploy advanced smart community technologies. The program emphasizes purpose-driven innovation, data-driven decision-making, and scalable solutions to improve transportation efficiency and safety.

For more information about the SOAR Initiative and the SMART Grants Program, please visit the Alaska DOT&PF ARROW Program page at www.arrow-program-overview-arrowak.hub.arcgis.com/pages/phase-2-soar