SciTransfer
Twinspect · Project

AI-Powered 3D Digital Twins for Rapid Infrastructure Inspection and Defect Detection

constructionPilotedTRL 7

Imagine taking thousands of photos of a bridge and instantly turning them into a hyper-realistic 3D model you can walk through on your screen. Instead of scrolling through endless folders of pictures to find a crack, an AI automatically highlights and groups the problems for you. It's like having a digital X-ray of a building that tells you exactly where the wear and tear is happening over time.

By the numbers
65%
Reduction in total inspection costs via AI
92%
Cost savings compared to on-site direct inspection
100+
Paid pilot projects completed
30 GB
Average data size per bridge inspection
42.2B
Total Addressable Market (TAM) in EUR
The business problem

What needed solving

Traditional infrastructure inspections are expensive, disrupt operations, and create massive data bottlenecks where engineers must manually sift through thousands of photos to find defects.

The solution

What was built

A SaaS photogrammetry solution that creates fluid 3D digital twins with automated AI defect detection and the ability to overlap consecutive inspections to track deterioration.

Audience

Who needs this

Bridge and highway maintenance departmentsDam and hydroelectric plant operatorsOil and gas refinery managersCommercial drone inspection firms
Business applications

Who can put this to work

Transport Infrastructure
enterprise
Target: Road and Bridge Authority

If you are a road authority dealing with the high cost of closing bridges for inspection—which can cost €1,400 per event—this project developed an AI photogrammetry solution that reduces total inspection costs by 65% compared to traditional methods.

Energy
enterprise
Target: Oil & Gas Refinery Operator

If you are a refinery operator dealing with the danger and complexity of inspecting massive platforms, this project developed a 3D digital twin that allows engineers to inspect photorealistic models directly, removing the need for manual photo library review.

Specialized Engineering
SME
Target: Drone Inspection Service Provider

If you are a drone company dealing with the bottleneck of analyzing 30GB of data per bridge, this project developed a SaaS tool that automates defect clustering and annotation to speed up delivery to clients.

Frequently asked

Quick answers

How does this impact the cost of bridge inspections?

Based on available project data, AI-based systems like Twinspect can reduce total inspection costs by 65%, representing a 92% saving compared to direct on-site inspections by engineers.

Can this handle large-scale industrial sites?

Yes, it is specifically designed for large infrastructure such as dams and refineries, capable of processing projects with over 100,000 photos.

What is the IP or licensing model?

The solution is delivered as a SaaS (Software as a Service) directly to infrastructure owners or via third-party inspection providers.

How does it improve safety and operational uptime?

By using drones and 3D models, it achieves 100% savings from inspecting infrastructure without disrupting normal operations, keeping inspectors safe on the ground.

What is the timeline for the current development phase?

The project period runs from December 1, 2023, to November 30, 2025.

Consortium

Who built it

The project is led by a single German SME, Twinsity GmbH. With a 100% industry ratio and no university or research partners, the project is lean and commercially driven, focusing on rapid market entry and scaling an existing MVP rather than basic research.

How to reach the team

Contact Twinsity GmbH in Germany for SaaS licensing and pilot opportunities.

Next steps

Talk to the team behind this work.

Contact us to find similar AI-driven asset management technologies for your infrastructure portfolio.