The Massachusetts Department of Transportation (MassDOT) announced that the MassDOT Aeronautics Division has been selected to receive the 2026 Aerial Achievement Award for Program Excellence, recognizing its innovative use of uncrewed aircraft systems to support the management and preservation of public infrastructure.
The Aerial Achievement Awards are presented annually by drone manufacturer Skydio, Inc. to recognize outstanding drone programs and their impact. MassDOT’s Aeronautics Division was recognized for a project using multiple Skydio X10 uncrewed aircraft systems to capture detailed imagery of the Massachusetts State House and create a comprehensive three-dimensional digital model of the historic building.
The MassDOT Aeronautics team used the uncrewed aircraft systems to safely capture the State House’s complex architecture, including its dome, exterior details, varying elevations and rooflines, while operating in a challenging urban environment. The resulting digital model can be used to support facility management, building-condition and environmental assessments, maintenance planning, historic preservation and future capital projects.
The initiative demonstrates how uncrewed aircraft systems can improve the quality of public asset management while providing an approach that could be applied to other Commonwealth facilities. The technology allows detailed information to be collected while reducing the need for specialized access equipment, repeated site visits and more disruptive conventional inspection and data-collection methods.
“Massachusetts is home to some of the most talented and innovative employees in the country, and this award is a great example of that,” said Governor Maura Healey. “Our Aeronautics team is using cutting-edge technology to help us better care for the historic State House, work more safely and efficiently, and protect an important public asset for generations to come.”
“This award recognizes both the advanced drone expertise of our Aeronautics team and the practical ways we are using new technology to better manage public infrastructure,” said Interim Transportation Secretary and MBTA General Manager Phillip Eng. “By using uncrewed aircraft systems to capture detailed information about the historic State House, our team was able to collect and provide the data needed for assessment and future planning while reducing cost and time. Using technology to better support our staff is a great example of how we are using innovation to work more safely, efficiently and cost-effectively.”
“Our team has developed a unique set of specialized skills that are valuable across a wide range of transportation needs and other public-sector applications,” said MassDOT Aeronautics Administrator Denise Garcia. “The State House project presented a unique challenge, and our team adapted its flight planning, imaging techniques and data collection to the building’s complex architecture and urban setting. I’m proud to see their expertise, versatility, and dedication has been recognized with this award.”
MassDOT was nominated for the award by MassAutonomy and was selected during what organizers described as the most competitive year in the award program’s three-year history. The 2026 Aerial Achievement Awards was presented during the Aerial Achievement Awards Dinner & Celebration at Skydio’s Ascend conference held on September 23, 2026, in Las Vegas.
