Many people don't think of drone uses beyond military applications or taking aerial pictures and video for professional photographers, videographers, and filmmakers. The truth is many industries are adopting this multi-use tool at very fast rates, and using drones for construction project management and site visualization is a top trend in the construction industry, according to Project Manager News.

Here are the top 4 drone uses for construction projects

1.   Construction Project Management via Construction Site Visualization

Drone photos and videos taken and shared at regular intervals for construction monitoring to verify progress, changes, and comparison vs. design documentation can improve communication and decision-making between the construction project management team members. When they are looking at the same pictures or video vs. written or verbal reports from several people walking the construction site at different times, there is a lot more clarity and agreement on the state of the site's progress, leading to faster problem identification and decision-making.

360 video and photo technology, when combined with drones can help produce virtual construction site tours (with interior and exterior of the building, see our example here) that can be used for touring the site virtually by team members, customers, or owner's reps, which gives transparency on the project progress, can help resolve conflicts, and speed up decision making.

Site mapping using drone photogrammetry software can be performed in all stages of construction, overlaying processed drone site maps with site plans for utility, wastewater, equipment location, etc.), helping with planning and managing the site.

2.     Drone Inspection (Building, Façade, roof, Equipment)

Remote drone inspections performed by qualified drone pilots can replace hours of human time spent inspecting and tracking the state or location of equipment, structures, and critical assets, decreasing the likelihood of employee accidents and human error when gathering this data visually by walking the site or climbing structures, leading to a more efficient, safer, and cost-effective operation.

Proven drone photogrammetry scanning software such as Drone Deploy, Pix4D, AgiSoft (and others) offer tools to upload and process point cloud data gathered by a drone pilot in a matter of hours, giving real-time actionable information in form of hi-res images and digital twins of structures (3D aerial photogrammetry models) for someone to conduct an inspection in the safety of their office, and provide collaborative tools for the construction team to document photographic evidence and make notes on "problem" areas.

3.     Construction Site Documentation

You can document as-built conditions upon the completion of the project via panoramic photo and video virtual tours, site maps, and 3D model creation that can be integrated into BIM (Building Information Management) and MEP (Mechanical, Electrical, and Plumbing) documentation.

Many photogrammetry drone software tools also offer integration of processed data (aerial maps, 3D models, etc.) with leading construction management software platforms, making the incorporation of this technology into existing workflows easier.

4.     Construction Services Marketing

It is well-documented that aerial photos and videos of construction sites are some of the best ways to market construction services. Construction site drone photos and videos can be used in customer presentations, websites, and social media to showcase progress and finished projects that give the firm credibility and get prospective customers excited about a potential partnership. What can be more gratifying and exciting than seeing a building which took months, if not years to build, go up in a Hyperlapse video in less than a minute?

Finally, the ability to provide construction site visualization and progress reports via photos, video, and virtual tours can be an additional way to make your construction company stand out among competitors when bidding for a construction project, as that's an additional value you are providing with multiple customer benefits.

We at V1DroneMedia specialize in providing safe, legal, and high-quality aerial drone services in and around Cleveland, Ohio, to various industries, including construction. Check out V1DroneMedia Drone Construction Services and Contact Us for a consultation or a project quote.