Construction businesses can now complete duties in a manner that saves more time, more money, and even more lives, thanks to technological breakthroughs like drones that are progressively being brought into the industry. The use of drones is particularly advantageous in commercial construction, where projects like the Salesforce Tower and Apple Park are much larger and more complex.
In addition, drones allow builders to more affordably see their site from an aerial perspective, which allows for better documentation of work progress and a more comprehensive understanding of the job in general. As a result of the quick introduction to drone usage, we have determined several advantages to be gained, including enhanced efficiency and the development of innovative marketing techniques.
Impact Of Using Drone Technology in Construction Projects
When digital photography first became available. Builders’ ability to record and communicate with the owner daily has been altered by digital photography, which allows them to capture and share progress on a project in real-time. Drone technology has progressed in tandem with digital photography, with cameras serving as the drone’s eyes. Quadcopters’ mobility and accessibility and the excellent quality photos captured by their cameras have combined to provide many opportunities for development in the construction business, which has significantly benefited from the use of drones.
Although companies first used drones on building sites just a few years ago, the construction sector has undergone substantial transformation and advancement. Significant strides have been made in improving several construction project procedures, potentially transforming the way we approach project delivery altogether.
Help In Site Monitoring
One of the most notable uses of drones in the construction industry has been site monitoring, which encompasses responsibilities ranging from overhead photography to inspections and tracking, among other things. With their tiny size and agility, drones can travel large distances in short order., whereas it would typically take a person much longer to do so by foot. Furthermore, drones eliminate the danger of sending a person into a potentially hazardous environment.
For example, instead of sending someone up many stories to conduct an inspection, a drone may be flown to the appropriate inspection site and returned with video and images of the intended inspection spot. This technique saves valuable time while also providing builders with the vital information they want without putting anyone’s safety in danger in the process.
Help In Land Surveying
Drones have also been shown to be effective land surveying instruments, as demonstrated in many studies. Drones are rapidly replacing traditional land surveying methods, typically performed with total stations, due to their ability to reduce the labor and time required to produce accurate surveys. Drones are also becoming more affordable.
Aside from eliminating much of the human error involved in the process, drone surveying can capture necessary data in a fraction of the time it would take using traditional methods. Drone surveying is becoming increasingly popular thanks to GPS tracking technology and cutting-edge camera equipment. This is especially useful for major building projects because the site is too enormous for human workers to effectively collect massive volumes of data in a short period, such as highway construction.
Monitoring of the Construction Site
Construction site monitoring and planning is a critical industry that uses unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) to improve information performance, speed, and accuracy. Drones are well-established in several construction project processes such as pre-planning, 3D Mapping, safety inspections, and so on. They are well-suited for various applications. Drones can help architects and planners keep an eye on their projects, ensuring that the work goes according to their vision and plan. The information obtained also motivates developers and building site enterprises to manage their inventories.
Drones Can Help With Marketing
Increasingly, drones and Unmanned Aerial Vehicles (UAVs) are being used in real estate marketing, especially when new-age technologies like drones and UAVs are introduced. It is helpful because of its abundance. Drones for real estate marketing are becoming more popular, with 44 percent of respondents choosing to use drones for commercial real estate and construction marketing. The use of drone technology in real estate helps in aerial photography, Mapping, aerial surveillance, an inspection of the sites, and the elements of faster data collection and efficient UAV Data Collection.
Benefits of Using Drones In the Construction Industry
- Monitoring – Construction site and progress monitoring are crucial for contractors conducted by high-resolution drones. Good quality photography and videography may be created on-site at flexible hours with weekly and monthly site visits. Contractors and construction organizations may also monitor their subcontractors, supplies, equipment, and stockpile amounts.
- Surveying – Geospatial Information Systems is growing next to drone technology. Obtaining drone data fast is now a realistic undertaking and can be completed in virtually minutes compared to conventional procedures. The trained pilots come on-site to capture all airborne data necessary for photogrammetry without affecting any ongoing works or operations.
- Progress Reporting – Staying updated with all stakeholders engaged in the building process is crucial. Progress reports are a terrific method to keep track of operations, keep investors interested, reducing expenses by remaining on track constantly. In addition, drones acquire reliable and timely information translated into reports for future usage. The data may be represented as 3D models of the site, orthomosaic maps, and other photogrammetry data to assess site progress.
- Inventory Management – On-site material, equipment, and inventory management is a time-consuming and challenging process. You may use drone data recorded using photogrammetry to keep a check on assets at your convenience, rather than having to spend grueling hours on the building site.
- Volumetric Estimation – Through specialized volumetric measurements, the construction businesses can watch the size of the material entering and departing the site—stockpile measurement results in conserved time and dollars for the users.
- Structural Integrity Maintenance – Regular quality inspections of the site; its elevation is a technique that should be carried out without a doubt. It is identifying and evaluating any construction vulnerability assists in minimizing any future difficulties regarding safety and saving expensive expenditures in the case of any litigation.
Applications That Help Construction Industry
One of the critical drawbacks of conventional approaches to building projects is that a strict execution procedure that allows little or no chance for last-minute alterations must be undertaken. Since there is a substantial possibility of human mistakes, the accuracy of real-time data is sometimes compromised. In contrast, you can develop a dependable monitoring and surveying system to gather accurate, fast, and trustworthy data with drones.
Drones are generally provided with high-quality sensors for multipurpose purposes, high-resolution cameras, and numerous high-level components and software. After data gathering, the information is subsequently processed and evaluated by modern software for increased operations, preparations, and enhancements. Some practical uses of Drones in construction monitoring and management are as follows:
- 3D Mapping – Through precise Aerial monitoring and inspections, Drones give data for 3D creations and orthomosaic maps of the construction sites. Topography enables seizing specific site maps, including contours and terrain, systematically captured, updated, and collected as online maps for convenient inspection of objects. 3D Mapping provides improved control over projects, informing stakeholders often, and quick discovery of unlawful structures by the government in a fraction of the time and price of previous procedures.
- Aerial Photography & 3D Modeling – When aerial photography and videography are utilized to present customers with compelling and vital pictures of the building site and how it will look in the future, they are known as “aerial photography and videography.” 3D models provide precise representations of the constructor’s vision, and they can be seen online at the click of a button. Architects and interior designers depend on these models to plan for the future and landscape their spaces.
- Construction Progress Monitoring – As the project represents the constructor’s vision, it is necessary to design frequent flying routes over and around the construction site for real-time progress monitoring. This data supports developers, stakeholders, and those involved in the building process. In addition, monthly site visits are advised to keep an eye on the developments to accomplish significant milestones for the organization.
- Volumetric Measurement – Aerial Photogrammetry permits grabbing huge regions (2D and 3D) with over 99 percent accuracy! The volumetric measurements are exact and fast to acquire, cost-efficient, and very handy since they do not impede any day-to-day activities on-site.
Tips for Increasing the Effectiveness of Drones in Construction Projects
Please read on to get a thorough understanding of getting the most out of construction project photography and videography. We propose a few ideas and tactics to get the most excellent outcomes while demonstrating building projects to the public.
Make a List of Your Needs
Preparing a shot list for project images is the first step in obtaining successful project photography. Instead, specify to the drone operator the intended list of picture locations, including interiors and outside areas, as well as any specific characteristics or details that the drone operator should capture. Next, a skilled drone operator will examine the perspectives from the shoot list to identify the most visually appealing area for their photos.
In addition to the shots in the specified shot list, a competent drone operator will take additional images if they notice a fascinating perspective or subject while on site. Following the photography, the drone operator will submit proofs to the client for review and consideration. The project manager may then choose the photographs that best illustrate their requirements for the project.
Clean Environments Provide For Better Project Photography
An essential step in taking outstanding images is to clear the space to take the photographs. Ideally, there should be no one in the room so that you may capture any architectural aspects to their most significant advantage. There are, however, certain exceptions. Depending on the project type, it may be advantageous to incorporate people to portray the atmosphere better than the place was intended to evoke. If the tenant is present in the area at the shooting, the drone operator will make every effort to minimize the disruption to their workflow.
Do Not Overlook The Importance Of Flight Safety And Other Considerations.
When it comes to taking amazing images and films, safety comes first. For example, a drone operator must be aware of their surroundings while on a building site that is in progress if they are successful. This may include traveling the location with someone who can keep an eye out while the drone operator is working behind the camera, among other things.
When using drones, the operator must consider the airspace they want to fly in. You can find the best view from tall structures or areas with high pedestrian traffic. Still, they are considered safety hazards by the Federal Aviation Administration and prohibited or maybe a nuisance to the surrounding community. In addition, there are several instances where you need a waiver or permission to fly in a specified region or at specific times of the day.
The videographer must file a request to the Federal Aviation Administration for these authorizations, with 90 days to react. Please be advised that this may cause the start date for aerial footage to be delayed. Additionally, it is crucial to find a drone operator conscientious about researching the regulations and safety procedures required to operate their device.
Conclusion
Technology evolves in tandem with human society’s evolution and development as we continue to progress in the world. It’s relatively uncommon for new technology to quickly become obsolete within a few years, if not months. For example, drones are making significant advances in the construction business, allowing for the modernization of project delivery techniques and approaches and creating more efficient and safer construction sites.
Even while drones are still being used for various jobs such as surveying and inspection to keep people out of harm’s way, the future and possibilities of this technology are almost limitless. As long as professionals in the industry are willing to break away from convention and put in the time and effort to make it happen, drones will continue to play an essential role in the future success and development of the company.
