In a rapidly growing economy, we are always aiming to build bigger, faster and better. And drones are helping us get there.
Right from offices and factories, to homes for the common people, we are all dependent on efficient and sturdy construction in one way or another. Drones bring a unique set of functionalities to the table which are ensuring efficient planning, management, progress tracking, resource allocation, inspections and security of worksites.
Planning
Drones can be helpful in planning at almost every stage of a construction project. Even before plans are laid out, drones are employed for surveys of the site to gauge the environment and the possible limitations that might be faced. During construction, aerial maps can be used to accurately measure distances and volumes. The use of LiDAR sensors during drone surveys to generate 3D scans of the site allows for more accurate volumetric estimations of land to be removed or levelled.
For these purposes, the drones employed need to be able to cover large areas of land in a single flight, while being able to deliver highly accurate maps. UrbanMatrix Technologies’ UMT Sparrow PPK, for example, can survey around 400 acres of land in a single flight without compromising on accuracy – maps obtained from the Sparrow drone are accurate up to nearly 1.7 GSD (Ground Sampling Distance). To put that into scale – you would need only about 15 drone missions to map out the entirety of Bangalore Airport, while being able to measure distances to the accuracies of 2cm on the ground.
Management
During construction, keeping track of resources and efficiently allocating them makes a huge difference towards the timely and economical completion of the project. Aerial scans provide suitable raw data for estimation of stockpiles and locations of equipment. This drastically eases the workload of managers on site and can also be used to provide regular and accurate updates.
Drones can also be used for progress tracking– with the real-time logging of data enabled by UrbanMatrix drones through their novel use of 4G connectivity, progress on the project can be regularly monitored. 4G drones enable decision makers to instantly access data from anywhere in the world. This allows them to receive unadulterated information without having to step foot on the site.
Inspection
Regular inspections of buildings are a necessity, but often crucial areas such as the outer frames of the building or higher stories are rendered impossible to reach without scaffolding, lifts or cranes. In such situations, drones provide a safer and more reliable alternative. Not only are all humans involved safe on the ground, but closer inspections can also be conducted with ease. However, experts still need to be on site to view footage on the pilot’s Ground Control Station, and storing this data, though necessary, remains cumbersome.
The UMT Hawk4G is the perfect drone for these purposes. It leverages 4G connectivity to allow viewing of real-time footage from the drone from anywhere in the world. Now, experts do not even have to be on site to conduct a close inspection but could instead be in an office on the other side of the globe. As the Hawk streams footage to a secure server, drone data can be logged and referenced in the future. The 4G connection also enables the processing of the footage using AI models, which can be trained to automatically identify a variety of faults such as cracks, seepage and even porosity in concrete.
Security
The flexibility granted through 4G technology in drones isn’t limited to just the inspection of stationary pillars. In fact, UMT drones can be actively used in security of construction sites, to ensure round-the-clock aerial surveillance of the site. With remote access to drone footage, personnel can maintain their vigil and be fully prepared to encounter any intruders.
As drone footage is streamed to a dedicated server, it can be processed using Artificial Intelligence models, which have been trained to automatically identify humans, animals and even vehicles. This automates surveillance to the extent that no humans need to monitor the footage. If intruders or other suspicious activity is detected, the appropriate authorities can be notified instantly.
Drone technology can lead to a significant rise in efficiency of worksite management. With accurate real-time data available at your fingertips, decision making can be well-informed and decisive. The development of drones capable of lifting heavy loads could lead to faster distribution of materials and equipment through out the worksite. Drones have the potential to become an irreplaceable cog in the future of worksite management.
