Aerial photography, inspections and more: What role can drones play in construction?

Drones, also known as unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs), have revolutionized the planning, implementation and monitoring of construction projects in recent years.

How and where are drones being used in construction today? And how can they be used in the future?

Aerial photography

Drones have recently become an indispensable tool for aerial photography of construction sites. In Armenia, they are still rarely used for this purpose, but along with the development of local drone construction, the situation in the country will most likely change.

Drones are equipped with high-resolution cameras and sensors that can capture detailed, clear images and create accurate topographical maps of the construction site. This technology can provide professionals with valuable site information, help identify potential problems, and enable more efficient project planning.

Aerial photography with drones can help save a lot of time and resources compared to traditional shooting methods.

Construction site monitoring

Drones can also help with real-time monitoring throughout a construction project. With video and the aforementioned aerial photography, drones can provide a bird's-eye view of the site, allowing managers to track work progress, identify potential problems, and make informed decisions.

Data from drones can also be integrated into Building Information Modeling (BIM) software, providing a visual and comprehensive representation of the project. This will help to better coordinate the work of teams, reduce the number of modifications and increase the overall efficiency of the project.

Safety

The use of drones can significantly improve safety on the construction site. For example, instead of sending workers into dangerous zones, drones can be used to conduct inspections or collect data. This reduces the risk of accidents and injuries, providing a safer work environment.

In addition, drones can assess site conditions after natural disasters or structural collapses, outages, providing valuable information for emergency response and recovery operations.

In other cases, drones can be used to monitor whether workers are using personal protective equipment while on the job.

Identifying defects and problems

Drones can also be used to detect defects, cracks, leaks and other problems, especially in hard-to-reach areas such as roofs, building facades and tall structures. Drones' high-definition cameras and thermal imaging sensors can help conduct thorough inspections of structures and identify problems that may require immediate intervention.

Future potential

As technology continues to evolve, drones are expected to play an even bigger role in construction in the future. Innovations such as LiDAR (Light Detection and Ranging) sensors and enhanced visualization capabilities will further enhance their ability to capture and monitor construction sites.

Moreover, autonomous drones equipped with artificial intelligence algorithms will certainly be able to perform tasks such as delivery of materials in the future. They may also be able to perform some construction functions, reducing the need for human labor.