What is Drone Progress Monitoring?
Construction drones dramatically augment the value, quality and safety of progress monitoring. They save time, money and effort while providing precise data and analytics.
Collapsing bridges, buildings and infrastructure have sadly dotted news headlines. Maintaining and updating infrastructure is expensive but the ROI of a reliable drone solution quickly pays for itself.
High-Resolution Images and Videos
In the construction industry, coordination is key to ensure everyone understands what needs to be done and when. Drones give team members a bird’s eye view of the project, helping them identify obstacles and see how to overcome them in real time. They are also able to show progress in terms of timelines. This means that even if something goes wrong on the ground, it will be quickly identified and resolved so that the overall build stays on schedule.
The high-resolution images captured by drones can be used to create intricate maps and 3D models, allowing users to visualize site conditions from a unique perspective. This data can then be used to identify areas where efficiencies can be made, decreasing building times and saving money. Additionally, drones can easily capture pictures in hard-to-reach places that are usually inaccessible or dangerous to human beings. These images can then be communicated to all stakeholders, ensuring everyone is on the same page regarding the status of the build.
Drones can be used in the planning phase to record topographical information and verify blueprints, but the true value of this technology may come during construction. When projects enter the construction phase, drones can be used to generate a point cloud from the captured drone images, containing 2D geo-information (X, Y). This data is then processed by photogrammetry software to automatically produce an orthomosaic map. This map is a detailed, high-resolution image that can be overlaid onto projected designs and blueprints for easy tracking of project progress.
These daily cut-fill views can help project managers and superintendents keep track of material usage, reducing costs by avoiding unnecessary oversupply or by detecting areas where more materials are needed. It can also help project teams compare the actual site with the original design and identify any discrepancies.
It’s easy to be intimidated by the stunning, professional-looking drone videos featured on the landing pages of big contractor websites. But the truth is that these videos can be produced at a price that fits most smaller contractor budgets, making them accessible to businesses of all sizes. Furthermore, the drone data can be incorporated into the same customers are already familiar with, making it easy for them to manage and access.
Real-Time Data
There is a lot to keep track of on construction sites, from project progress to equipment and materials. With drones, all of this information can be easily accessed by key stakeholders in real-time to ensure accountability and transparency throughout the project. The ability to access and share aerial images, maps and 3D models allows for effective communication between teams, avoiding mistakes and speeding up overall project times.
Drone technology is useful for more than just tracking project milestones and timelines, it also offers unique insights into how a building site is performing from an environmental perspective. For example, a drone can survey the terrain and provide data such as ground elevations, slopes, rutting, vegetation, erosion risk, surface water levels, and more. This information can then be analyzed and used to adjust the course of action for any issues that may arise on the jobsite.
Having a clear understanding of the environment in which a project will be built is crucial for construction companies to make informed decisions. Topographical surveys (often referred to as “topo” surveys) are a common requirement for most construction projects. A topographical survey gives engineers and project managers a detailed view of the land to help with planning, site selection and to ensure accuracy for future engineering work. Using a drone to perform a topo survey is more efficient than traditional methods such as manual measurements or driving on-site.
With drones, it is possible to inspect large areas that would be difficult to reach on foot. This not only speeds up inspections and reduces cost, but it also increases safety by eliminating the need for a person to be in hazardous or potentially dangerous areas. Using a drone for regular inspections can help minimize the risk of accidents on the jobsite and protect workers from liability.
Managing a construction project requires a high degree of coordination. Whether it’s coordinating with subcontractors, managing vendors or keeping investors updated, there is a lot to coordinate. With drones, all of this important data can be accessed from one central hub at any time, enabling key stakeholders to stay informed without having to physically visit the construction site.
Accuracy
Drone technology offers a high level of accuracy for monitoring construction sites. Unlike traditional methods, which require time-consuming and costly site visits, drones deliver data in real-time and provide a comprehensive aerial perspective on the entire build. As a result, mistakes are caught more quickly, saving days of lost productivity and expensive delays.
With the help of photogrammetry software, drones can capture a detailed and precise 3D model of the construction site for accurate measurements and volumetric estimations. This allows construction managers to ensure they are building to plan and meet deadlines.
A highly detailed and accurate 3D model of the construction site also helps to identify issues that may be overlooked by the naked eye, such as misaligned concrete supports or gaps in structural steel work. This information can be used to address these issues before they escalate into larger problems. This saves time and money by allowing project managers to correct errors in the early stages, which can prevent budget blowouts and keep projects on target.
Using drones for regular job-site documentation also reduces the risk of human error and enhances safety. For example, with a single flight, drones can capture the entire height of a construction platform, making it easier to check for structural safety and compliance. This can be particularly useful for tall buildings, bridges and tunnels.
The corridor mapping feature enables fast, efficient surveying over long and narrow stretches of land. This can be extremely useful for surveying projects such as road and railway track construction and monitoring, water retention basins or other large infrastructure such as solar farms.
Whether monitoring construction progress, delivering acknowledged progress reports to clients or conducting CDM health and safety inspections, consistency is key to success. A drone can be programmed to fly at the same time each week, providing consistent, reliable data that demonstrates progress over time.
Safety
Drone Progress Monitoring provides an aerial view of your construction site, making it easy to spot issues that may otherwise be difficult to see from a ground-level perspective. By comparing images captured at regular intervals, it's possible to identify any discrepancies that might indicate safety hazards or inefficiencies.
By capturing high-resolution images and videos of your construction site, Drone Progress Monitoring can help you identify areas where more work needs to be done or equipment that isn't functioning as it should. This helps you to stay on schedule and minimizes the risk of cost overruns.
The ability to access hard-to-reach areas of your construction site eliminates the need for workers to climb ladders and scaffolding, which can reduce safety risks. It also avoids the need to delay projects while a worker is sent in on foot, which can lead to costly delays.
Using photogrammetry to capture detailed images of your construction site can allow you to accurately inventory all of the equipment on your site without having to send someone in person. This helps to prevent theft of equipment, which is a major problem in the construction industry that costs USD 1 billion per year.
Construction drones dramatically augment the value, quality and safety of progress monitoring. They save time, money and effort while providing precise data and analytics. Collapsing bridges, buildings and infrastructure have sadly dotted news headlines. Maintaining and updating infrastructure is expensive but the ROI of a reliable drone solution quickly pays for itself. High-Resolution Images and…