Published September 26, 2024
Drones have been used for one purpose or another in the construction business for at least 15 years; in 2018, the industry led all others in their adoption with growth of 239 percent, according to a survey by DroneDeploy, a platform for aggregating and managing data collected from drones.
While the pace of adoption is no longer doubling year-on-year, the use of drones has continued to increase because the technology can provide big impact at little expense.
DroneDeploy’s 2018 survey states that its construction industry clients who used drones for collecting site data and measurements spent one-fifth to one-twentieth of their pre-drone expenses for the same services. And across multiple industries, 70 percent of users saw ROI in the first year.
Even the smallest construction businesses are finding ways to use them. For example, when looking for the source of water ingress in the chimney of a single-family residence recently, the owner of a small Cleveland-area masonry contractor pulled a video-equipped drone out of his work truck to find the leak and provide a repair estimate—which was accepted on the spot.
There’s more to drones than taking pictures and shooting video. Expert service providers to the construction industry may deploy a variety of technologies, including Radar, LiDAR, GPS, Global Navigation Satellite System (GNSS), thermal imaging and multispectral imaging.
Propeller, a provider of hardware and data services for drones, says the benefits of drones fall into four major categories:
- Increased efficiency
- Reduced expenses
- Improved safety
- Better data accuracy
Here’s how those benefits play out at various stages of a construction project.
Bidding and Preconstruction
- Site Surveys: Drones can capture high-resolution images, videos and topographical data in less time and with less manpower than a traditional land survey, and the results can be delivered faster because the data are processed quickly through supporting software. Surveying is probably the application for which drones offer the most obvious impact in construction. “Drone surveys also deliver centimeter-level accuracy,” offers the blog at The Drone Life, a New Jersey drone surveying business. “Because drones can fly much closer to the ground than satellites and manned aircraft can, the data they collect is of higher quality. Each pixel on a drone map or point on a 3D model is delivered with precise geo-data that is hard to get any other way.” And because surveyors sometimes need to navigate dangerous terrain, drone surveys can reduce the risk of injury.
- Material Estimation: Drones can be used to collect data for volumetric calculations to estimate the amount of fill material needed—leading to more accurate bids.
- Visual Documentation: Including images, videos or 3D models of a site can help sell a complicated bid by providing confidence in the company’s approach, and by making it easier for clients to visualize and understand the details.
- Identifying Unknowns: Drones can help to find unstable ground, water accumulation or other concerns that could affect a project’s cost and timeline. Addressing these risks during the bid process supports the company’s expertise and can reduce change orders and costly rework later on.
- Habitat Mapping: For sites that include or are near natural habitats, the data can support planning for any conservation measures that may be required.
Tracking Progress
- Cut-and-Fill Calculations: Using a drone in the surveying process can create highly accurate topographical maps to determine where material needs to be cut or filled, optimizing earth-moving operations to reduce cost and shorten timelines.
- Collaborative Planning: Teams can use drone-generated data for collaborative planning sessions, ensuring that everyone is aware of site conditions and in agreement on progress.
- Progress Monitoring and Documentation: Construction managers can use drones to monitor progress in real time—often gaining the ability to see areas of a project that would be inaccessible and dangerous for a walk-through inspection.
Quality Control and Assurance
- Structural Monitoring: Drones can inspect ongoing construction work for quality control, checking that structures are being built to the correct specifications and identifying any issues such as misalignments or defects.
- Systems Monitoring: When equipped with thermal imaging capability, drones can detect water leaks, heat loss or electrical faults in real time—helping to prevent accidents, meet safety standards and head off costly rework.
- Erosion and Drainage Monitoring: Drones can monitor site erosion, water runoff and drainage issues that could lead to worksite hazards and concerns about structural integrity, such as landslides and flooding.
Jobsite Risk Mitigation and Safety
- Safety Compliance: Routine drone flyovers can be used to monitor safety conditions at the site, and verify whether safety rules are being followed, such as proper placement of barriers and correct use of PPE by workers—allowing immediate corrective actions.
- Inspecting Hard-to-Reach Areas: Drones can reduce exposure to hazards by accessing and inspecting areas that are difficult or unsafe for workers to reach, such as tall structures, deep excavations or confined spaces.
- Emergency Response and Accident Investigation: In the event of an accident, drones can provide aerial views to support emergency responders in locating injured workers and identifying safe evacuation routes. They can also provide detailed aerial footage to help reconstruct what happened and identify the cause.
- Visual Training Materials: Drone footage can be used to create engaging and effective training materials that demonstrate real-life examples of safe and unsafe practices on the site.
- Liability Protection: Detailed records captured by drones can be used to document that safety measures were in place and enforced, offering some protection against claims of negligence.
In construction, better measurements mean bigger profits. Best Supply’s expert team can deliver the right amount of the right materials to your jobsite. Request a quote here.