Construction is widely considered to be a “traditional” industry, one highly resistant to new technology, including digitization.  But, in recent years, construction has emerged as a leading industry for commercial application of drone technology.  The industry has experienced a 239% growth in drone use year over year, higher than any other commercial sector besides real estate.  Why has the industry become so receptive to drones?

The most obvious reason, it seems, is the industry’s relatively high level of inefficiency.  Large construction projects typically take 20% longer than expected to complete and they’re sometimes as high as 80% over budget.  Drones can help speed up construction projects and reduce their costs.  They can also ensure a high level of safety for construction workers while securing construction sites from trespass and  construction materials and tools from theft.

There are five key drone applications in construction that make UAVs invaluable, according to industry insiders. The first and most obvious is aerial surveying.  Having topographic maps on hand is critical for planning complex, large-scale construction projects. Maps can reveal costly flaws in design that could make a project ill-suited for certain terrain. Because topographic maps are expensive and normally take considerable time to produce, they may well be out of date.  Drones can map a vast expanse of land quickly and can keep mapping as the project develops to benchmark progress.  Drones can produce high-resolution images that can be used to construct 3D models, which can pinpoint challenges during pre-construction.  Aerial drones can determine a project’s overall feasibility, monitor its development and keep it on schedule and budget.  Tens of thousands of dollars may be saved.

Next on the list is keeping track of construction equipment and materials.  Losing track of vehicles and equipment on site is a common problem for construction site project managers.  As one phase concludes and another begins, equipment may also be left behind, clutter the site, or simply become lost, posing a possible safety risk.  Drones can inventory all equipment at the project outside and keep a visual record of its use and disposition.

Drones can also monitor stockpiles of construction materials to assess when supplies are becoming low, possibly causing a costly project delay.  Drones can also deploy surveillance cameras to determine  if unauthorized individuals are present on the site.  Trespassers often try to enter construction sites to steal construction equipment and materials. According to the National Equipment Register, over $300 million worth of construction equipment is stolen from job sites every year.  Because of weak security, less than 25% of that equipment is ever recovered.

A related function is perimeter security.  Autonomous drones equipped with thermal imaging cameras, and set to make periodic rounds, can detect nocturnal movements and supplement stationary surveillance cameras.

Ensuring the health and safety of construction workers is a third major role for drones.  Falls from ladders and platforms are a huge problem in construction, accounting for 34% of all worker fatalities.  Drones evaluate workplace conditions and assess potentially dangerous scenarios.  Drones can sometimes replace workers when a difficult-to-reach or hazardous area of the site must be inspected.

Drones can also assist more broadly with site inspections, some of them required by law.  Normally, these operations require heavy machinery and scaffolding and time-consuming field work.  Drones can perform the same work in an hour that a field team might take an entire day to complete.  Drone cameras can also provide high-resolution imagery that is superior to standard field photography.  And equipped with thermal sensors, drones can also readily identify heat leaks, cold spots, and any electrical issues.

Finally, drone mapping can assist with the oft-neglected post-project phase.  With accurate drone data, a company can evaluate every phase of a project, assessing what went right and wrong, and the costs involved.  With more precise estimates of cost and materials utilization, a company can impress a client seeking work on a similar project, resulting in a more competitive and attractive bid that helps close the deal.