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US-based engineering firm Michael Baker International has received certification from the Federal Aviation Administration to operate several types of fixed-wing and vertical take-off and landing unmanned aircraft systems. The company said its UAS can capture robust, real-time aerial photographs and video as well as conduct aerial mapping for surveys or site inspections. "Integrating our FAA-certified unmanned aircraft program with our other advanced data collection capabilities allows us to take data

Two contracts have been awarded for work on sections of Poland’s S7 dual carriageway. Contractor Metrostav has won the tender process for the construction of a stretch of the S7 dual carriageway. The 20km section of the route Metrostav has the contract for lies between Gdansk's southern ring-road and Elblag. The value of this project is anticipated as being in the region of €392 million. Meanwhile contractor Budimex was won the package of works for the second section of the S7 dual carriageway. This 19km lo

A major new bridge project is planned in Taiwan. The new Danjiang Bridge will cost some US$482.35 million to construct. The project should be complete and open to traffic by the end of 2020. The bridge will be some 12km long in all, with a 900m central section. Work on the project is to be carried out by local firm Sinotech Engineering Consultants in combination with its German partners. In all there were six bids for the project.

Serbia’s Obrenovac-Preljina highway is due to be completed by 2017. Serbia’s Ministry of Construction says that the Obrenovac-Preljina and Ljig-Preljina routes are being financed with the aid of a €274.5 million loan from China's Exim Bank, worth a total of USD 301mn (EUR 274.48mn), while the state budget secured a total of €30.1 million. Meanwhile, €300 million of funding has been secured from Azerbaijan for construction of the Ljig-Preljina route. Corridor 11, between Obrenovac and Preljina will be 105km

Work on Algeria’s long running East-West highway project should be complete by mid-October 2015. The Algerian Ministry for Public Works, has said that the final 120km of road should be ready by mid-October at the latest. This will be the last section of the final stretch of the 1,200km East-West highway to open to traffic. A number of delays have hit work on some sections of the highways due to issues such as technical problems and disputes with contractors. The East-West highway is of major importance for

Norway’s construction industry will continue to expand for five years, with investment in transport infrastructure continuing to drive growth, according to a recent report. The government’s fourth National Transport Plan 2014–2023 calls for a series of new infrastructure projects worth around US$86.5 billion. Nearly 1,300km of new trunk roads and 380km of four-lane motorway will be opened, as noted by the Norwegian Ministry of Transport and Communications The overall construction industry’s output va

German engine maker Deutz has reported new order sales were down just over 10% in the first half of this year, to €670.7 million. Unit sales also fell, around 21% down on the first half of last year, to 78,120 engines. Sales of 41,213 engines in the second quarter of 2015 were 11.7% higher than in the previous quarter but were 24.5% lower than in prior-year quarter (Q2 2014: 54,622 engines). Revenue was in line with forecasts, falling by 11% year on year to €670.2 million compared with €753.4 million

Acrow Bridge, an international bridge engineering and supply company, announced that it will start by the end of the year on a 144-bridge infrastructure project in Zambia. The work will be carried out exclusively by Zambian engineers, technicians and contractors who will be trained in the field by Acrow technicians on the assembly and installation of the bridges. Acrow said it is working with the Road Development Agency of the Republic of Zambia.

Following the completion of the feasibility study commissioned by Highways England into dynamic wireless power transfer technologies, off road trials of the technology needed to power electric and hybrid vehicles on England’s major roads are due to take place later this year. The trials are the first of their kind and will test how the technology would work safely and effectively on the country’s motorways and major A roads, allowing drivers of ultra-low emission vehicles to travel long distances without

Turkey’s Ilgaz Tunnel will help boost transportation and cut traffic delays between the capital Ankara and Kastamonu. The new tunnel should be open to traffic in April 2016 and will connect the Ankara and Kastamonu motorways. Measuring some 5.4km long, the tunnel features a twin tube layout. In all the project involves the construction of some 26.7km of roadways. When the new link is open, this willor educe travel time between Ankara and Kastamonu to 1.5 hours. The project is costing around US$205.5 million