Advancing Road Infrastructure Safety with the Remotely Piloted Safety Cone

This article presents the design, implementation, and validation of a Remotely Piloted Safety Cone (RPSC), an autonomous robotic system developed to enhance safety and operational efficiency in road maintenance. The RPSC addresses challenges associated with road works, including workers’ exposure to traffic hazards and inefficiencies of traditional traffic cones, such as manual placement and retrieval, limited visibility in low-light conditions, and inability to adapt to dynamic changes in work zones. In contrast, the RPSC offers autonomous mobility, advanced visual signalling, and real-time communication capabilities, significantly improving safety and operational flexibility during maintenance tasks. The RPSC integrates sensor fusion, combining Global Navigation Satellite System (GNSS) with Real-Time Kinematic (RTK) for precise positioning, Inertial Measurement Unit (IMU) and encoders for accurate odometry, and obstacle detection sensors within an optimised navigation framework using Robot Operating System (ROS2) and Micro Air Vehicle Link (MAVLink) protocols. Complying with European regulations, the RPSC ensures structural integrity, visibility, stability, and regulatory compliance. Safety features include emergency stop capabilities, visual alarms, autonomous safety routines, and edge computing for rapid responsiveness. Field tests validated positioning accuracy below 30 cm, route deviations under 15 cm, and obstacle detection up to 4 m, significantly improved by Kalman filtering, aligning with digitalisation, sustainability, and occupational risk prevention objectives.