Counting vehicles on roundabouts by drone

Rond-point de Taverny

Technology is making its way into urban mobility.

In the urban and suburban landscape, roundabouts play a crucial role in traffic flow. However, their true effectiveness, safety, and relevance in terms of planning can only be assessed using specific data: vehicle counting. And today, this mission is increasingly being carried out... by drones .

Why count vehicles on a roundabout?

Vehicle counting allows local authorities, urban planners, and engineering firms to make informed decisions about traffic management. This can include:

• The modification or enlargement of a roundabout.

• The installation of traffic lights or pedestrian crossings.

• The creation of safe cycle paths.

• Or simply, an analysis of road traffic to assess saturation at certain times.

The data collected is also used in the context of development projects, funding requests or to meet regulatory requirements regarding safety or the environment.

Why use a drone?

Traditionally, counting was done by human observers or by installing ground sensors (magnetic loops, fixed cameras). However, these methods have several limitations: high cost, limited coverage, cumbersome installation, or variable reliability depending on weather conditions.

The drone flies over the roundabout at an altitude of several dozen meters, providing a comprehensive, stable, and discreet view. Its advantages are numerous:

• Simultaneous overview of the various entrances and exits of the roundabout.

• HD video recording allowing real-time or delayed counting.

• Rapid mobility from one site to another.

• Less intrusion into normal traffic.

• Possibility of automated analysis by artificial intelligence.

Mavic 3 en position stationnaire

How does a drone counting mission take place?

A typical service generally follows several steps:

• Identification and authorizations: Before any flight, the area must be analyzed (proximity to airports, regulations, urban density) and the necessary authorizations must be requested from the prefecture and the DGAC (Directorate General of Civil Aviation). The remote pilot must be certified.

• Flight plan: Choice of flight height, drone positioning, recording duration (often between 1 and 2 hours at different time slots)

• Video capture: The drone films continuously, and in a stationary position to capture the behavior of vehicles on the roundabout, but also on the access ramps. Today, civilian drones used for this type of mission have an autonomy of between 20 and 30 minutes depending on weather conditions. In order to film a roundabout during rush hour, it will therefore be necessary to carry out the battery change operation in a minimum of time. Thus the choice of the takeoff point and the position of the remote pilot will determine the speed of the descent/landing/battery change/re-takeoff/exact re-positioning operations, which can sometimes be carried out in less than 1 minute.

• Processing and counting: The images are then analyzed manually or via AI-assisted counting software (pattern recognition, vehicle tracking, car/truck/motorcycle classification, etc.).

Who requests this type of service?

• Local authorities (town halls, metropolitan areas, departments): as part of territorial diagnoses or redevelopments.

• Mobility or environmental design offices .

• Construction companies in the project or construction phase.

• Urban planning or architectural agencies .

• Transport authorities .

Sometimes even urban planning or transportation students use this type of data for their dissertations or projects.

In conclusion

Drone photography for counting vehicles at roundabouts is a modern, flexible, and highly relevant tool for addressing today's mobility challenges. It's part of a smart city approach, where data becomes a lever for action. And in this field, the sky is no longer the limit... but rather the starting point.