Finding a place to use new technology in an established industry could be a bit of a rough fit, but making the effort may be well worth it. Investing in hardware and software, plus the time spent learning how to effectively work with it, means that any technology put into a business must justify its existence. For many early adopters, drone technology is proving to be a practical investment, leading to greater efficiency, lower expenses, as well as improvements to worker safety and site security.
Improved Efficiency and Accuracy
Most people who want to increase their profits with construction could probably benefit from adding drones to improve accuracy and cut down on waste. Construction and demolition produces 534 million tons of debris each year in the United States. For people who run a construction business, purchasing too much in materials, or making mistakes in the design leads to lost profits. Using drones to survey the site increases accuracy, because a drone can record much more information than a human surveyor. Many people in construction take advantage of building information modeling (BIM) to help them create an accurate depiction of their building plans. Drones can be integrated with BIM software to make it far easier and quicker to survey the site and generate 3D models based on the data.
Cost Savings
Human labor cannot be duplicated entirely, but using drone technology to replace some functions that have typically been performed by people can save both time and money. When carefully maintained, drones can work effectively and accurately for long hours. They could be much less expensive than hiring a professional to do a flyover for various purposes. Some organizations opt to have the drone perform functions that might be more accurately done using cameras, without having to pay for a person to complete the same kind of skilled labor. Getting the information quickly, without repeated passes to check for human errors, and seeing the recordings converted into data right away could also tighten project completion times, allowing businesses to bid on more work.
Increased Safety Compliance
Preserving safety on the job site is crucial for anyone running a construction business. Drones are taking over many inspection duties in construction, renovation, maintenance, and repair, to help identify the conditions and help workers on the ground determine the best course of actions. Project and site managers have found that drones are often useful in the real-time inspection of equipment arrangement and use, to ensure greater safety without necessarily cutting down on productivity. The Bureau of Labor Statistics notes that certain construction jobs are uniquely risky for workers. Drones may replace some of the most dangerous tasks. For example, a drone could move through an elevator shaft, looking for weaknesses. In this case, an elevator installer or repair person could target their movement in the shaft to specific problem areas, instead of having to inspect the entire shaft personally.
Comprehensive Security
Maintaining the security of the site is a major goal but simultaneously a big problem for construction, and drones could also improve surveillance. About 90% of construction professionals say that they have to deal with theft on a regular basis. The bigger the theft, the harder it is to recover or replace. Hiring security personnel to walk the site during open and off hours is helpful, but it may not be sufficient. With an aerial view of the space from a drone that can change positions quickly, it is easier for a construction manager or business owner to get detailed information about a location’s security and alert monitors to the possibility of theft. When used in combination with sensors, mounted cameras, and radio-frequency identification badges to ensure that only appropriate workers are on the site at any time, drones can improve the accuracy of long term security efforts.
Drones are taking the construction industry by storm, and there are plenty of reasons to explain it. With years of improvements in drone function and increasingly competitive pricing, drones have the ability to make construction work more cost-effective and accurate, without having to compromise on quality.