Using Drones in Construction.

Like with many industries, the twenty first century has brought about a booming number of technological innovations within construction. Construction has faced a technological revolution in terms of the way materials are acquired, produced, and implemented within the job site. These advancements have allowed once wasteful material to become eco-friendly, as well as changing the construct of a job site. One such technology that is changing the face of construction is drones. Drone technology has seen a large increase in usage over the past few years. In fact, 2018 saw a 239% increase in the use of drones in construction. 

Virtual Site-Visits

There are many benefits to construction afforded by drones that make them especially useful for construction. Drones can allow general contractors to monitor and survey projects remotely. It used to be that if a manager wanted to see how work was progressing they would have to go down to the site themselves or relying on second-hand sources - often being low quality photographs. Depending on where the project is located, getting to the site could take up a large portion of the day. Now contractors can view projects right from their office. 

Contractors aren’t the only ones interested in monitoring project progression from the comfort of their office. Clients would greatly benefit from an insider view of their project without having to inconvenience the rest of their day. Using a drone, the construction company can send high quality visuals of the construction progress. Avoiding multiple walk-throughs in person can save everyone a lot of time and energy.

Mapping and Surveying

Drones also allow for the mapping and surveying of sites. While an initial walk-through is always important, drones can be helpful in visualizing topography and catching aspects of the location that one may not see from the ground. Mapping is an extremely important part of construction and many drones have the ability to help create highly accurate maps of the area. Using drones for mapping can help ensure that the project is fitting for the area. These accurate images and maps can also be used to make 3D prints of the site for further use. 

On-Site Safety

In addition to helping improve efficiency, drones also help improve safety. Drones can be used instead of crew members, to inspect dangerous or difficult to reach places. From a safety point of view that is huge as construction and exterior maintenance contains many such places. Since safety is so important to construction and exterior maintenance, using drones to survey the area helps to ensure that the building is safe enough for workers to do tasks such as hanging off a buildings or walking on the roofs.

How Much Does it Cost?

While you may expect a drone to be expensinsive, the truth is that many drones are reasonably priced considering the scale of construction. A commercial drone will usually cost between 1,000-50,000 dollars depending on the features of the drone. Considering the price for some other technologies used in construction drones fit right in, especially with the services they provide. If your budget doesn’t fit a tricked out drone, consider one with less features, you will still be happy to have one, even if it has less features. 

Drones are the future! Not only will they provide safety for crew members when safety is a concern, their top notch visibility and mapping abilities allow for a clear understanding of the project site. Drones make site visits accessible for everyone! Whether you are in the office and want to check on the status of your crew, or you’d like to show the clients the progress of their project, drones are great for everyone. They may cost a pretty penny but it will all be worth it for safety, efficiency, and accessible check-ins.