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Ms. Mattea Jacobs Freelance Writer & Green Activist, Los Angeles. |
The popularity of drones has skyrocketed in the recent years, and so has the market for them. From taking photos and videos for personal use, to their scientific applications and uses in many spheres of life and business, their importance and utilization are constantly growing.
Although many may be familiar with them simply due to their fun and recreational purposes, drones, above all, have very important and practical uses in different industries. One of them is home construction, where drones have significantly contributed to the industry’s efficiency and general development.
Construction vs. Technology
When it comes to the construction industry, it has generally been one that is somewhat averse to technology and technological advancements. It is an industry that relies mostly on traditional, manual labour and heavy machinery, and does not always welcome change very easily. Moreover, it is one of the least digitized and technologically advanced areas, which can often reflect on its productivity.
Fortunately, construction has also begun opening its doors to new technology – slowly but surely. With BIM, smart devices and gadgets, 3D modeling and now drones, it is welcoming change into its very core, and becoming a part of the digital revolution. We no longer have to talk about construction vs. technology, but about construction and technology.
Drones, specifically, have the potential to integrate various aspects of the project, simplify it, connect people from different parts of the country who are working on it together, improve the gathering of information, and provide better insight and overview of the project.
Saving Time and Money
To keep the project successful and on track, it is important to always have all the necessary data on the site and the building at hand. The traditional methods of surveying, research, and data collection would usually take a lot of time – days or even weeks. And making sure that every minor change in the site or the data is updated and recorded is another part of that strenuous task.
Drones can change all of it and revolutionize the way a site is researched and monitored. They can collect all the necessary data and information in a matter of minutes and update it regularly. They input the data into the BIM (building information modeling), a project management software, and keep you updated at all times. This can save the industry significant amounts of money by decreasing the time spent researching and the amount of labour that is put in.
New and Improved Inspection
Using drones for inspection purposes can also help stay on top of your projects, as well as save you a lot of time and money. One of the greatest advantages of drones is that they show you data in real time, so you can act on time. This can help in avoiding unnecessary and costly mistakes or making changes to your plans, and all without wasting time, money or labour.
With drones, the risk of your project going off-track is much smaller and allows you to make some crucial decisions or changes before it’s too late, or before the project has advanced too far. Apart from that, you can also inspect the aesthetics of the building, receive the images and see how they compare to the blueprints and the model.
Presenting the Project’s Progress
Many clients and homeowners like to stay informed and keep track of how their house is coming along. That is not always convenient for the architects, the construction company, and the workers, nor for the clients themselves. It would usually involve making trips to the jobsite, which can be time-consuming or showing photos to the clients, which is not a real enough representation of the progress.
This is another aspect where drones help significantly to keep clients well-informed and involved in the project. They allow the architects to show the live progress of the project, present it from all angles and give a better and innovative overview of it to the clients. And clients can then express their (dis)satisfaction, which can be addressed in time.
Improving Safety
Construction is known to be one of the most hazardous fields. Many injuries and even deaths occur precisely at constructions worksites, and it has many safety risks. One of the great and very important benefits of the use of drones is also improving this factor and decreasing safety risks.
Inspecting roofs, locations or areas that are hard or too dangerous to reach, working on heights, and similar hazardous tasks can all be done with the help of a drone. This way, accidents,and injuries can be prevented and significantly reduced, making this field of work much safer.
Conclusion
Applying new technologies, such as using drones in your construction work, can benefit both you and your clients in great proportions. Technology is shaping and changing our world, so why shouldn’t you be a part of it as well.
Drones can not only save time and money on your project, but they can also provide better results and more successful projects. They are an innovation with many applications and benefits and are surely on their way to become the standard of the industry.