As of 2018 in the United States, commercial drone use has increased across many industries. In the last two years, some one million new pilots have registered with the Federal Aviation Administration, and by 2020, experts expect seven million or more drones flying the skies.
In recent reports, it was found that construction is in the top three uses for commercial drone-based services, behind aerial photography, surveying and mapping, and geographic information systems (GIS). The number of construction companies using drones will continue to increase; as new technology emerges that offers further business, value and competitive advantage over the competition.
Jobsite applications
Here are a few other use cases for drones on the construction site and for ongoing inspections:
Time lapse: Use drones to take weekly images of the structure and stitch them together into a time-lapse video.
Forward looking infrared (FLIR): Drones equipped with FLIR sensors can be used to detect energy loss or consumption or insulation defects as part of installing and inspecting HVAC.
Thermal imaging: Drones with thermal sensors can accomplish a lot on a construction site — detecting thermal hotspots, delamination, spalling and moisture intrusion are all possibilities.
Roof Estimating: With being able to capture aerial images of a roof, construction companies have found this to be extremely useful when using those images within an estimating software such as Square Takeoff. The ability to assess damage or simply to provide an accurate construction estimate of roof material for an established home provides a competitive advantage over others.
Project Marketing: With a drone, companies can achieve and capture the aerial perspective, and get results that would otherwise be impractical or impossible. This creates a competitive advantage when it comes to promoting a firm’s projects and services.
Drones only provide a value when they are in the air, so once a company makes the initial investment, it is worth it to explore as many options and drone applications as possible to maximize that investment.
