Construction is one of the world's largest industries, worth approximately $8.5 trillion annually. However, it is far from the most efficient. In 2018, McKinsey & Company reported that major construction projects of all types take an average of 20 percent longer and often cost nearly double the budgeted amount.
The effectiveness is not improving either. Construction output is surprisingly low compared to the 1990s. Inefficiencies and overproduction reduce profit margins for projects large and small.
The construction industry generates 25 to 40 percent of America's solid waste. Procurement and scheduling challenges lead to 15 percent of materials ordered by construction sites ultimately ending up in landfills. In comparison, disposable straw makes up only one percent of landfill waste.
In 2019, new technology has started disrupting the standards of operations and making construction more efficient and sustainable. Industry leaders are implementing new technologies like aerial drones in construction to reduce costs while improving site efficiency, minimizing the impact and waste of each project and maximizing profit potential. are are doing
Drone Technology in Construction
Drones, or unmanned aerial vehicles (UAV's), are a growing trend in many industries. Today, the impact of drone technology on the digital transformation of the construction industry is undeniable. What started out as a fun toy or a fancy camera has quickly become a competitive advantage for those who want to use it to their advantage.
Drones can do a lot more than just take high-definition photos. Scanning with a drone can yield a variety of useful data. These tools can use additional equipment such as infrared, geolocating and thermal sensors to assist in mapping locations and model building projects. Captured footage can be converted into 3D models incorporating real-world conditions, allowing for better repeatability, greater feasibility and more accurate bidding during the pre-construction phase.
Some of the key benefits of incorporating UAV technology include:
Less process and analysis time means less risk and consequently less cost
More accurate digital data to allow more accurate readings
Easy access through cloud-based integration
More streamlined work progress monitoring
In particular, drones have impacted the construction industry:
Calculating stock volumes and material types for inventory to enable better construction site monitoring
Calculating the length, width and height of roads and structures
Interpreting images and maps for easier communication
Calculating overburden to plan for an efficient removal
Drones are taking an essential place in the construction process and are only increasing in popularity and functionality. Creative site managers are constantly finding new applications for drone technology on construction sites.
Why Drones Are Being Incorporated so Quickly
Before the use of drone technology in construction, there was a disconnect between seeing a rendering of a job site and actually seeing it. Drone technology has revolutionized the way stakeholders view a site and view the entire project and allows for much more careful analysis of progress during construction.
1.Drones Make Your Company More Competitive
Drones have gained traction so quickly because of the competition in the construction industry. Companies using UAV technology have a competitive advantage over other companies that are less innovative and stick to traditional methods of surveying and analyzing job sites. Incorporating drone technology into your projects can be an attractive sales tool that can make the difference between a lead and a customer.
2.Drones Provide Additional Data
They can also add value to the customer during delivery. Providing the client with visual data about the building's as-built condition allows them to better manage and maintain the property after you've finished the job. Having this type of information on file also reduces the likelihood of litigation and can be used as a defense tool.
3.Drones Help You Monitor Progress
UAVs help you and the project owner visualize the completed work and see how the work is progressing at every step. Construction can be a time-consuming endeavor, and it's not always easy to talk to a client about where your time and their money is going. Drones negate this uncertainty by allowing careful observation throughout the process.
4.Drones Are Cost-Saving
Drones are also a huge cost saver in many different types of expenses. As a construction business owner, you can directly monitor a job site and note suspicious activity such as unsafe conditions or wasted time. You can invoice more accurately by performing more quality inspections of completed work.
5.Drones Protect Your Crew
Your team can use monitoring to check the locations of assets and materials, rather than wandering around the construction site, unsure if equipment and resources are where they should be. You can also use drones to remotely check hazardous areas without harming personnel.
6.Drones Condense Data
While the drones themselves are increasing in quality, so is the software that drives them. Advanced fleet management technologies reduce the work involved in operating a drone by allowing multiple fleets to operate simultaneously on a job site and return all relevant information gathered to the construction team. Software improvements allow businesses to scale their company's operations more quickly while being able to manage more drones at once and deploy them to more locations.
Overall, UAVs reduce the amount of unnecessary work and increase efficiency due to more careful monitoring of the construction process. Mistakes will be caught much earlier and can be corrected before they escalate into a more troublesome problem. With all these advantages, it is clear why UAV technology has been implemented so quickly.
If you are considering using drone photography to improve safety and efficiency on your job sites, feel free to contact Core Services for a free consultation. We provide aerial project documentation and 360 degree site surveys for construction.
CORE Construction Services, Inc.