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The construction industry is fraught with factors that can drive up costs, compromise worker safety, and spawn lawsuits. The use of industrial drones, or unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs), is making definable differences for construction companies that have identified how drones can fit into their established processes.
Benefits of drones in construction
Drones can decrease the need for lengthy visual inspections, enable more efficient planning, and identify potential problems before they become costly. But these efficiencies are just the beginning when it comes to the benefits of using drones in construction. Issues related to inventory management, maintenance costs, and safety violations can often be identified by a drone long before they are noticed by an inspector.
Some companies have implemented drone technology due to the safety value alone. The use of drone technology can remove workers from potentially dangerous situations, improving overall site safety and reducing workplace injuries. This alone can be enough to justify the implementation of new technology, but industrial drones can also deliver a significant ROI by automating operations, creating efficiencies, and reducing costly delays.
Uses of drones in construction
Drones are making a difference for construction companies of all sizes, but a well thought-out technology roadmap is essential for optimizing the capabilities of UAVs. Without a clear understanding of how drones can be incorporated into existing procedures, the technology may be abandoned. Construction companies should consider questions of what adoption looks like not just on a specific project, but also across the entire organization.
Experts from large and small firms alike have reported that drones are making a difference in their daily operations in myriad ways such as:
- Increasing productivity 4x
- Improving the QA/QC process
- Making it easy to collect and process aerial data, allowing companies to forgo the cost of traditional aerial photography
- Identifying the causes of unexpected disturbances that create additional costs, and allowing for the adoption of processes that prevent these issues in the future
Should you build or outsource your drone operations?
Many workflows in the construction business can be made more efficient by UAVs, but construction companies often need to see results quickly, and don’t have the time to learn new technology.
Outsourcing drone operations to consultants is a cost-effective solution for construction companies both large and small. While some companies who have already realized the value of UAV implementation, many are still trying to determine the true value of adding drones to their processes. Creating an internal drone program often means that engineers and construction managers are diverting time and energy from actual construction projects where they are needed, in order to learn the technology and become Part 107 certified.
Working with a drone consultant can allow construction companies to scale drone operations across all projects, without being dependant on a few internal resources who are Part 107 certified pilots.
The future of drones in construction
Regardless of whether a company opts to build an internal drone program or work with a drone consultant, the value that UAVs add to construction projects is real and definable, and is certain to grow as the technology expands.
As a pioneer in the industrial drone industry, Digital Aerolus continues to develop and produce the most advanced commercial drones in the world. We are well positioned to quickly adapt to advances in technology and the ever-evolving needs of the construction industry.
Contact us today to learn more about our industrial drones, and how they can help your construction company increase efficiencies, improve your safety culture, and drive down costs.[/vc_column_text][/vc_column][/vc_row]