Here’s 5 valuable benefits that contractors can get using drones for construction.
People using drones for business and recreational use has grown fast. Most likely you are aware of drones or UASs. A UAS is an unmanned aircraft system. Other terms that you may have heard include quad-copters. These UASs are remote controlled and equipped with a camera device.
Drone sales have increased a lot in recent times. They anticipate that the market for drones will continue to grow. Business Insider projects that sales over the next five years will increase. The increase is expected to be from $8 billion to $12 billion.
BROWSE COURSES FOR PROS, BY PROS
The construction industry continues to a see a rapid expansion of drone use. Construction contractors see valuable benefits from using of drones into their business. Drones with aerial image capabilities are a useful tool for successful construction companies.
- Marketing and Sales – Marketing and sales for construction companies require the use of photos and images. Getting aerial images required most contractors to hire an aerial photo company to take shots of a finished project. Drones allow contractors to take pictures of projects that are both finished and in progress. These images are then incorporated into the company website or other marketing materials. Contractors can also take pictures of projects they are submitting proposals for to show a different perspective for their client.
- Project Management – Professional sports have used game films for years to analyze how teams move on the field. Contractors can use drones for similar purposes. Roofing contractors can see how their projects are set up and how their teams run during projects. General contractors can analyze how their resources are moving on the entire construction site. Opportunities for changes are realized by analyzing different perspectives.
- Project Assessment – Successful projects start by analyzing construction sites before the work begins. Looking at projects from the actually surface of the project is one perspective. Reviewing the project from an aerial perspective may open up new insights. The new knowledge can generate new ideas of how to manage a project right from the outset.
- Estimating – All good projects begin with a quality estimate. Contractors look for different solutions on projects that can help them be competitive. Estimators overlook these advantages when they have limited perspectives. The use of drones can give estimators a different look at a project. They increase their chances of bidding more accurately and more competitively.
- Due Diligence and Evaluations – There are a lot of times when contractors cannot check for problems in a safe manner. This is particularly true with exterior contractors. Roofing contractors, masonry contractors, and others may need to access difficult areas to determine the source of a problem. This may require extensive setup to access these areas. Drones may allow these contractors to access these areas effectively to get the answers they need.
- Aerial Infrared Scanning – Technology continues to march forward at a rapid rate. New infrared technology has been developed that will allow operators to complete infrared scans of buildings and structures using a UAV drone. The drone is equipped with an infrared camera capable of taking infrared images of the target.
To learn more about acquiring the FAA remote pilot certificate explore the Drone Pilot Ground School.
Using drones for commercial applications has restrictions. The FAA has issued requirements for using drones for business purposes. Failure to follow these requirements has significant consequences. Be sure to follow all state and federal laws if you are considering using drones for construction.
Click Here to access the FAA website for UAS (unmanned aircraft systems) regulations.
