Unleashing the Power of Drones on Construction Worksites

Lynn Pearcey, MBA, Senior Copywriter, AIA Contract Documents

July 18th, 2024

Introduction

 Technology is constantly pushing our world forward. The mindset that says if you can conceive it, you can achieve has never been truer than it is now, and part of that truth is due to the technological advances we’re seeing in our lives. These technological advances are becoming increasingly apparent on construction worksites, paying significant dividends to all sectors of the work environment. Those advances include drones. These devices are adding considerable value to construction sites worldwide in several ways.

Drones are invaluable and construction leaders are just beginning to tap into the immense potential these leading-edge tools offer. With each passing year, drones are predicted to become more entrenched in the industry, benefiting firms and the professionals that support them in several ways.

Drones Improve Safety

 Working on a construction site is one of the most hazardous jobs in the world. Injuries, and sometimes worse, lurk at every corner, which is why safety always receives such a high premium. Construction is dangerous work, but the functionalities of drones eliminate some of the danger. Inspections are part of construction, and sometimes, those inspections require workers to scale tall structures or go into spaces ripe with peril that the naked eye can’t see. Instead of placing staff members in harm’s way, a firm can deploy drones to high or dangerous spaces and receive insights for crucial project decisions.

Security Measures and Drones

 Construction sites buzz daily with hard work, people, parts, and debris moving about, but at some point during the day, all the moving about ends, and this is where the value of drones comes into play on another level. When they’re unattended, construction sites are favorite places for thieves looking to steal valuable resources, including steel, sod, and concrete, among other things. With a drone monitoring the site around the clock, the prospects of the site falling prey to a burglar or vandalizer practically disappear at a fraction of the amount it would cost to hire human security.

Improved Efficiency Through Drones

 From the outside looking in and to an uninformed observer, a construction site looks like mass confusion, sheer chaos, or complete mayhem. Making sense of all that movement can be a nightmare for even the most seasoned professional. The nightmare becomes a dream with the help of a drone, capable of monitoring the entire environment and feeding valuable insights back to leadership to make informed decisions. Rework is a hallmark of the construction industry, and errors occur on even the most efficient sites. Drones limit the need for rework as they capture mistakes before they become problems, saving valuable time and resources.

Drones Lead to Better Planning

Planning is a major part of the construction process, and drones make it easier. Using drones, leaders can conduct flyovers and build multi-dimensional models. These models can then be used to create final renderings and better plans based on the intel gleaned from the drone. Drones also give management an accurate view of progress, allowing them to make decisions that keep a project moving forward.

Conclusion

Technology is a crucial element of the construction process and will continue to become increasingly prevalent in the coming years. Drones are part of that technological mix, and the impact and unmistakable value they bring to any construction site are significant. From a safety perspective, they keep staff out of dangerous situations, saving firms thousands in potential loss time and insurance premiums if an employee were injured performing the same task.

Construction sites are busy and often dangerous places, but they become extremely vulnerable when there isn’t any activity. It’s during those times that the value of drones shines brightly. Drones can cost-effectively monitor sites and protect them at a fraction of the costs a firm would spend if a regular employee were in the mix. Planning and efficiency, areas impacting profitability and brand reputation, improve when drones are part of the operations equation. All these things and many others point to drones being a fixture on the construction scene now and well into the future.

Working on a construction site is one of the most hazardous jobs in the world. Injuries, and sometimes worse, lurk at every corner, which is why safety always receives such a high premium. Construction is dangerous work, but the functionalities of drones eliminate some of the danger. Inspections are part of construction, and sometimes, those inspections require workers to scale tall structures or go into spaces ripe with peril that the naked eye can’t see. Instead of placing staff members in harm’s way, a firm can deploy drones to high or dangerous spaces and receive insights for crucial project decisions.