The present solution to fixing the pothole problem is distinctly low tech and involves patching with hot tarmac. Which holes get filled in is a bit of a lottery and it does not take to much rain and ice before the problems come back. But now a new programme proposed by the Digital Intelligence Brokerage in the UK is suggesting a new approach that makes use of the latest technology. 

The proposal involves spotting problems with drones and then fixing them with a 3D printing solution. The Digital Intelligence Brokerage says that a consortium of small and medium-sized enterprises could use this “cutting-edge approach” to assess the condition of highways in rural and urban areas. Other DIB recommendations include using video technology to check the quality of roadworks, and to make the shape of pothole repairs circular instead of square to avoid weak points in corners.