Accurate 3D object detection is crucial for autonomous vehicles (AVs) to navigate safely in complex environments. This paper introduces a novel fusion framework that integrates Camera image-based 2D object detection using YOLOv8 and LiDAR data-based 3D object detection using PointPillars, hence named C2L3-Fusion. Unlike conventional fusion approaches, which often struggle with feature misalignment, C2L3-Fusion enhances spatial consistency and multi-level feature aggregation, significantly improving detection accuracy. Our method outperforms state-of-the-art approaches such as YoPi-CLOCs Fusion Network, standalone YOLOv8, and standalone PointPillars, achieving mean Average Precision (mAP) scores of 89.91% (easy), 79.26% (moderate), and 78.01% (hard) on the KITTI dataset. Successfully implemented on the Nvidia Jetson AGX Xavier embedded platform, C2L3-Fusion maintains real-time performance while enhancing robustness, making it highly suitable for self-driving vehicles. This paper details the methodology, mathematical formulations, algorithmic advancements, and real-world testing of C2L3-Fusion, offering a comprehensive solution for 3D object detection in autonomous navigation.

Maritime search and rescue (SAR) operations are challenged by vast search areas, poor visibility, and the time-critical nature of victim survival, particularly in dynamic coastal areas. This study presents an intelligent unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) framework for real-time detection, tracking, and prioritization of people in distress at sea. Unlike existing UAV-based SAR systems that rely on visual sensing or offline human intervention, the proposed framework integrates RGB-thermal multimodal sensing and posture recognition to enhance victim prioritization and survivability estimation. Visual-thermal data support human posture detection, inference of physiological indicators, and autonomous UAV navigation. Metadata are transmitted to a ground control station to enable adaptive altitude control, trajectory rejoining, and multi-target prioritization. Field-inspired experiments in Quang Ninh Province, Vietnam demonstrated robust real-time performance, achieving 23 FPS with detection accuracy up to 84% for swimming subjects and over 50% for drowning postures. These findings demonstrate that Edge-AI-enabled UAVs can serve as a practical and efficient solution for maritime SAR, reducing response times and improving mission outcomes.

Crack detection is one of the crucial aspects of bridge evaluation and maintenance. Several existing image-based methods require capturing the bridge surface and extracting crack features to detect the crack. However, in some positions such as the space under the bridge and piers, it is difficult to capture crack images. This paper aims to apply a method to detect cracks on the bridge surface by using a drone that can capture images in challenging positions. The video recorded from the drone will be automatically identified the cracks by employing the deep learning method. Deep learning is designed for training and testing the dataset with 51.000 images, each image sized 244 × 244. The deep learning method shows the feasibility of detecting the cracks in the transport facility. This is supported by the high accuracy of the experimental results of 95.19%. In addition, the tool can assign an ID containing information to each crack from video so that these cracks can then be mounted on a 3D map of the bridge for research on crack development over time in the task of assessing the health of bridges.

This study contributes an efficient method for assessing the structural integrity of concrete bridges by collecting images of surface cracks and defects with drones. The use of drones to gather crack samples reduces human error and is appropriate in adverse working conditions and short-duration examinations. This work introduces a new POI (Points of Interest) flying algorithm for typical flight paths, based on the drone flying criteria of safe viewing distance and the POI concept. In this research, the flight controller of the drone was combined with a Raspberry Pi4 to build and alter a typical flight path suitable for the mission, with the addition of interactive features that control flight mode switching, separation, and automatic return to the original orbit to meet expertly specified POIs. In other words, as drones approach a region requiring image capture, they automatically move to a safe distance to photograph cracks and then return to their predetermined orbit. An experiment at the Cau May bridge demonstrates that the path-planning algorithms created on an embedded computer can successfully coordinate with the flight controller switching three times to hover and zoom in on fractures during the inspection.

This study presents a low-cost edge-IoT-based structural health monitoring (SHM) architecture for crack monitoring in operational underground tunnels. The system integrates crack-displacement sensing, temperature measurement, ESP32-based edge processing, LoRa/MQTT communication, AES/ECDSA-based data protection, and cloud-based data management. The architecture was validated through a 30-day field campaign at two representative cracks in the Hai Van Tunnel, with measurements acquired at 60 s sampling intervals. The results show that edge-based wavelet–Kalman processing improved measurement stability and reduced high-frequency noise, while the implemented security mechanism introduced only minor latency relative to the monitoring cycle. The two monitored cracks exhibited small micrometer-scale fluctuations associated with temperature variation and showed no cumulative widening trend during the observation period. This study demonstrates the feasibility of campaign-based tunnel crack monitoring using a trustworthy edge-sensing architecture, while longer deployments with more sensing nodes are needed to fully evaluate scalability and operational durability.