Applications of Drones in Construction

The introduction of drones in construction is bringing significant changes in the industry by simplifying advanced construction procedures.

The construction sector has been a slow adopter of technology. However, it is opening itself to various technologies for the ease and benefits they bring along. With the increase in awareness of the benefits of technology, drone adoption in construction has shown an increase in usage of 239% in 2018. The use of drones helps monitor the project and contain it going over budget or being behind schedule.

Uses of Drones in the Construction Sector

Drones provide a plethora of benefits over traditional practices in the construction industry. Drones can be utilized in the construction sector in the following ways:

Land Survey

A major application of drones in construction is their use for carrying out aerial surveys. Unmanned Aerial Vehicles (UAVs) are slowly replacing traditional land surveying equipment. They provide a bird’s-eye view of the area that needs to be surveyed. This proves very beneficial in regions that are difficult for humans to maneuver. Smart drones equipped with artificial intelligence and machine learning can create a 2D plan of the area surveyed. Drones eliminate the possibility of human error involved in the process and help save time and labor and is much more accurate.

Project Execution and Improvements

Delays and errors in construction are the major problems faced by the construction sector. Drones can help mitigate the issue with the help of their superior intelligence. Drones can collect data and report it to complete projects faster. They can detect if any part of a construction project is behind schedule and can send the data to the concerned officials to take the necessary steps. It can also survey the project and detect any construction errors which may have been missed out during manual inspection. Drones help save not only money but also time, which is precious in the construction sector.

Security Improvements

Drones can be utilized to improve the safety standards at the construction site. Drones can be employed to monitor the site and prevent instances of theft and also provide safety to employees working at the construction site. Drones equipped with cameras can detect and monitor movement and help in providing better security to the employees and also protect the company from facing significant losses due to thefts. Drones reduce the dependency on manual labor for providing security at the workplace.

Waste Monitoring

One of the lesser-known applications of drones in construction is their use for waste monitoring. Many piles of waste are generated at the construction sites. Construction companies need to allocate human resources and time for identifying waste and measuring it. This process can be highly inaccurate and time-consuming. Smart drones can be employed to measure the waste generated. They can accurately generate data regarding the amount and type of waste at the construction site. This helps companies save time, money, and human resources which can be utilized elsewhere.

The construction industry is evolving. It has opened up to technology and has started implementing it in construction activities and is reaping its benefits. The use of technologies like artificial intelligence, augmented reality, IoT, computer vision and drones in construction are going to transform the industry like never before.