EYES in the SKY Construction Survey

Salmendra Chand is the Chief Remote Pilot and RPAS instructor in Fiji. He is employed at Drone Services Fiji

Bula and welcome back the Drone Tech. In my previous articles I highlighted the many ways the drone can be used in different industries.

I discussed how surveyors were making use of the drone in the day-to-day work with one of our own Registered Surveyor who has been using drones to make his workflow much easier.

Today, we look at another industry, the “Construction Industry”. Due to the pandemic and crisis at hand the construction industry in Fiji has come to a standstill.

But this does not mean that the industry will not revive and when it does, it will have a booming impact.

We know that the construction industry is on the verge of a technological transformation.

While the industry is often slow to adopt new and other cuttingedge technologies to gain traction among construction firms. Survey drones are at the forefront of this tech adoption trend. When thinking about tech-forward industries, construction is unlikely to be the first sector to

to come to mind. There’s a reason for that, too, as the industry has remained comparatively lowtech for much of its history.

This trend is starting to reverse as new technologies offer more substantial benefits, and the sector’s need for disruption becomes more evident.

SURVEY DRONES IN PRE-CONSTRUCTION

Survey drones offer improvements in every phase of construction project, starting with planning and design.

Before a firm can start building anything, they need to survey the potential worksite.

Traditionally, workers would have to walk through the site and take measurements and recordings manually, but this is inefficient.

Drones we’ve come across likely capture photos or video, but they can do more. More advanced cameras and sensors can take geospatial measurements and temperature readings and create 3D digital models.

These provide construction crews with an in-depth, accurate understanding of the worksite, informing any necessary design or workflow changes. Architects can use survey drones before even designing a building.

The multiple angles and range of data that drones provide can help them create the safest and most accessible design. Alternatively, this information could reveal that a potential site isn’t fit for a given project so that teams can look for a new location.

SURVEY DRONES IN THE CONSTRUCTION PHASE

These technologies continue to provide value to construction companies once they start work on the project. Construction sites can be dangerous, and the industry has one of the highest worker injury rates of any profession. Drones can help prevent these accidents.

Workers can use drones to inspect parts of the work site for hazards before potentially putting themselves in danger.

The near-limitless range of motion these aerial technologies have lets employees see things from every angle, spotting things they could miss in person. By checking for hazards from a safe distance, construction crews prevent accidents, which can be costly and cause delays.

Survey drones can also help a project’s various stakeholders monitor its progress. Site managers can compare drone footage to plans and blueprints to ensure there are no errors.

Since rework can account for 30 per cent of all construction work, preventing mistakes can save a considerable amount of time.

SURVEY DRONES IN POSTCONSTRUCTION PHASES

When construction teams finish with the building phase, drones continue to help project stakeholders. Once construction wraps up, responsibility for the property passes on to the owner or manager.

This transition requires a lot of documentation and doublechecking, which drones can help make smoother.

Detailed images and videos from drones during the construction phase can show property owners that the project unfolded as it was supposed to.

Videos and photos provide a more concrete truth source than written claims, giving the owner more satisfaction. This trust will help speed the transition, too, letting clients take over their properties sooner.

Despite being a relatively new technology, survey drones have already made a considerable impact on construction. As technology improves and adoption increases, the benefits of these machines will multiply.

This infamously behind-schedule and over-budget sector will transform into something more efficient and affordable.

While the construction industry isn’t famous for innovation, survey drones are starting a new era. Construction sites are becoming increasingly tech-centric, with drones being a leading example. Before long, these machines could forever change the industry.