Progress Monitoring With the Use of Drones
Monitoring progress on construction sites is time-consuming. Traditionally, it relies on inefficient data collection and visual inspections that take weeks to collect, organize, and report on.
With drone technology of Wolfe Remote Systems, progress monitoring can be done quickly and accurately. This helps save project managers hours of work and provides actionable data in real-time.
Real-time Updates
A major challenge for construction projects is keeping stakeholders and investors up-to-date on progress. Traditionally, this is done through periodic photos of the worksite. These updates are typically a combination of aerial and ground-level images. This data can be combined into a report that provides an updated, high-quality view of the site.
The ability to provide a complete view of the project and communicate this regularly is an incredible benefit for any construction business that utilizes drone technology. It allows for more thorough inspections, quicker progress reports, and a greater understanding of the project’s health and status.
Regular drone photo inspections can help to ensure that the construction process is staying on schedule and that it won’t go over budget. This is particularly important because it can allow planners to better allocate resources and keep crews on task.
Drones can also be used to inspect difficult or dangerous areas of a construction site that may be difficult to access on foot. This is a great way to reduce safety risks for workers and also save time on labor costs.
In addition to the standard progress monitoring services offered by drones, they can be equipped with a variety of sensors and software to perform specialized inspections and tasks. This can include 3D modeling, mapping, and identifying areas of risk in the structure. Drones can also be used to measure the volume of materials on a construction site and compare this against the original estimate, helping to ensure that a project is staying within its budget.
Another useful service provided by drones is inventory management. This can be accomplished through photogrammetry, a technique that uses aerial images to calculate measurements. This data can then be used to manage inventory, equipment, and materials on-site. This can save significant time and money for construction companies as well as improve productivity.
Key stakeholders are often not situated on-site and require instant, up-to-date construction site information to make decisions and approve next steps. Drones can provide this by capturing and instantly sending updates on construction site progress to a central hub that can be accessed from any computer, tablet or phone with an internet connection. This can significantly speed up the progress reporting process and also save on travel expenses for contractors, managers and investors.
Accuracy
Before construction drones, progress monitoring insights were based on disjointed information relayed by various teams. These insights were limited in the number of views they offered and the area they covered, making it difficult to get a holistic understanding of what was happening on site.
Drones, on the other hand, are able to capture wide-angle aerial images that give an all-encompassing view of the entire site. The information they provide allows for the creation of 3D models, Orthomosaic maps and other topographical outputs that are capable of displaying comprehensive progression from a single vantage point. This makes it easy for stakeholders to check and validate as well as understand progress.
Another advantage of using drones for progress monitoring is their ability to cover large areas in a short amount of time. This means that it is possible to complete a full inspection in minutes rather than the hours or days that would be needed if a team of engineers was sent to a construction site every day for progress updates.
Aerial data acquired by drones can also be easily transformed into reports and other deliverables on-demand, making it possible for all stakeholders to stay up-to-date with the latest developments on the job site. Having these updates instantly available helps to promote communication and transparency on projects, while simultaneously speeding up overall project times.
The accuracy of drone data is also beneficial for construction professionals, as it can help to avoid costly mistakes and delays. For instance, contractors who are paid based on the amount of earth they move often need to have highly accurate measurements in order to make sure that the actual amount they have moved is in line with the CAD model and design plan. This can help to eliminate discrepancies and save countless hours of reconciliations that could otherwise be wasted.
Flexibility
The preparation of a traditional progress report requires the use of a photographic record which is restrictive because of the movement of the photographer through a workspace full of obstructions and limited by the height and range of view from the camera [1]. This is why unmanned aerial vehicles (UAV) equipped with cameras are an important tool for the inspection of structures and work areas, improving the visualizations of construction processes and allowing site professionals to keep track of the sites at all times.
Drones can provide high-resolution photos and videos, capturing a wide range of angles and vantage points that would be impossible or dangerous to capture on the ground. In addition, drones can produce maps that communicate the progression of a project to stakeholders with more detail than what the human eye is capable of seeing. This allows managers to see the entire site and understand how the project is progressing compared to the original plan.
Using a drone for progress monitoring also saves time by eliminating the need to conduct manual surveys on the ground. Instead, a drone professional can take the footage and process it into an easy-to-read report that can be delivered to managers immediately. This eliminates the lag between when something happens on the construction site and when the manager finds out about it.
Additionally, progress reports can be shared with off-site stakeholders and investors in order to stay up-to-date on how the construction is going. This can help to ensure that the project stays on schedule and avoids going over budget.
Using drones for progress monitoring allows contractors to save money on labor costs by avoiding the need to send employees out to inspect tall or potentially dangerous structures. In addition, progress reports can be conducted from the comfort of an office using cloud-based drone software. This enables managers to spend more time moving their projects forward and less time making expensive and time-consuming trips to the site to survey progress in person. This is especially important for large construction projects where it may be difficult to get a clear picture of how the work is progressing from one part of the site to another.
Safety
In the case of construction projects with a significant number of employees, progress monitoring with the use of drones ensures that all work is carried out on schedule and within the specified quality standards. It also helps project managers identify problems and resolve them quickly. In turn, this leads to higher productivity and reduces the risk of costly project delays and cost overruns.
In addition, construction workers can safely access hard-to-reach areas using drones, minimizing the need to scale ladders or scaffolding and reducing the overall risk of workplace accidents. Furthermore, thermal imaging cameras on drones allow the inspection of structures that may be damaged by weather conditions or other factors, such as inefficient insulation or electrical systems. This can help prevent costly repairs and increase the lifespan of a building.
Progress monitoring with the use of drones can be done remotely, saving valuable time for personnel and ensuring that all work is carried out as planned. This is particularly important in cases where a project is located in remote locations, as these sites can be difficult to monitor due to challenges such as the terrain or infrastructure. Drones can be deployed to inspect and document the work progress in a matter of minutes, minimizing the time spent on the site and enhancing productivity and efficiency.
A typical method of recording the physical progress of a construction project involves periodically reviewing a photographic record of the site. However, this approach is often cumbersome and time-consuming. This research proposes a simple methodology for manually acquiring a photographic record of a construction site through the use of UAVs and photogrammetric methods. The resulting point clouds are then superimposed with the programmed progress of the construction schedule in a 4D BIM simulation engine to visualize and verify the development status of the work.
Once the required data is obtained, it is immediately processed to yield a progress report that can be distributed to stakeholders backing the project. This information can be represented as 3D models, Orthomosaic maps, and other Topographical outputs to facilitate clear understanding of the data and promote a collaborative environment.
Monitoring progress on construction sites is time-consuming. Traditionally, it relies on inefficient data collection and visual inspections that take weeks to collect, organize, and report on. With drone technology of Wolfe Remote Systems, progress monitoring can be done quickly and accurately. This helps save project managers hours of work and provides actionable data in real-time. Real-time…