Construction is consistently ranked as one of the most stressful careers in the world, and a recent survey is putting a hard number to this figure — 47% of workers self-describe as “stressed on the job.” To those who work in the industry and participate in day-to-day project management, this likely doesn’t come as a surprise. Worksite disputes and interpersonal communication challenges, hard deadlines, and on-site logistics are commonplace and affect nearly every site, project, and team. To make matters worse, the sector’s historically-slow adoption of construction technology that could move the industry forward is often a point of contention between on-site workers and budget-conscious, back-office staff.
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A compromise is necessary to eliminate long-held frustrations and attract new, young workers to the field (and backfill labor shortages). While not every general contractor can afford an in-house drone program, advanced CAD software, or specialized robotics, third-party drone service providers are a low-cost, high-yield alternative solution. For a relatively small up-front expense, contractors and their dependents can automate inspections, improve documentation, and streamline information sharing across stakeholders. In this article, we’ll explore the top five challenges facing general contractors today, and how drone technology can help solve them.
1. Project Disputes
According to a 2019 ARCADIS Global Construction report, roughly 30% of all construction projects end in dispute, totaling up to 5% of all project management fees. Whether because of missed deadlines or shoddy work, project owners rarely have a robust record-keeping system in place to respond to these accusations. Instead, they depend on handwritten notes, smartphone photos, and paper schedules. This physical documentation can seldom be found, let alone professionally cataloged — and therefore, can not be used in litigation or as substantial evidence.
Relying on verbal directions and general word-of-mouth leaves little room for error on construction projects totaling millions of dollars and thousands of billable hours. Why take the risk? Establishing a central communication source and visual record of proof is a vital assurance each project needs, and can pinpoint how, when, and why an issue occurred so it is less likely to happen again.
What's included in YOUR GUIDE...
A Proven Roadmap of Success for Implementing Drones in Construction.
A List of Red Flags to Avoid When Hiring Drone Service Providers.
How to Persuade Your Leadership Team to Leverage Drones on Every Jobsite.
Photographing a construction site during each stage of its life cycle promotes proactive, efficient communication and progress documentation, among other things. Instead of manually inspecting worksites or logging information by hand in hours-long, boots-on-ground missions, project managers can expedite these efforts with pre-planned, regular drone flights. Time-stamped aerial drone imagery provides comprehensive, geotagged verification of work done, and serves as each project’s “insurance policy” in case of client disputes. As a mediation tool, drone technology is objective, fair, and unbiased — and it can easily verify minute details like dates, times, and measurements (down to the centimeter!). Both parties benefit from this kind of precise, reliable confirmation of facts.
2. Poor Communication
Construction management software, Procore, states that the number one obstacle for specialty contractors is poor field-to-office communication, with 50% of all polled selecting this issue as a top priority. A preference for how things “have always been done” and an over-reliance on verbal instructions or directions stagnates work and warrants confusion amongst teams, many of whom only know their job function. These communication silos are counterproductive, and are overall unnecessary given today’s modern solutions.
Because construction projects can frequently encompass hundreds of people with various, cross-functional job duties, effective communication is key to staying on-task and on-budget. Having a general idea of the project’s timeline, budget, and daily schedule, regardless of department, benefits every team member and keeps off-site personnel informed and engaged. Sharing project progress, equipment locations, and other relevant details to owners or back-office staff further encourages transparent correspondence and real-time reporting.
Drone imagery, particularly when combined with cloud-based project management software, gives visual learners tangible confirmation of new developments and often-overlooked, relevant details. Rather than trusting unwritten norms, 2D maps, or blueprints, project owners can utilize drone livestreams, photos, and 3D models for a more exhaustive view of the entire project. Better yet, subcontractors and tradesmen who may be brought in mid-way through a project’s completion can quickly onboard and visualize next steps.
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3. Hard Deadlines
Veteran construction workers know that tight, difficult deadlines are just part of the job. Inevitable equipment or weather delays harden project timelines, and increase the stress levels of everyone involved. When rework is added into the mix, meeting these targets begins to feel impossible. But while holding fast to project deadlines is contractually important, it’s also significant to the bottom line. According to KPMG, only 25% of construction projects reach their original deadlines, leaving the remaining 75% past-deadline and over-budget. For larger projects, this figure is even worse — taking up to 20% longer to finish. Setbacks of this kind have the potential to ruin business relationships and team morale alike.
Inspections, earthworks, reporting, and site planning — starting off on the right foot not only establishes a solid foundation for the project, but also avoids the need to play catch-up later on. Luckily, there are a number of ways in which drones can accelerate laborious tasks to ensure projects stay on schedule. One such technique is using LiDAR-equipped drones for site monitoring and cut/fill analysis. In just a 1 hour drone mission, crew members receive a host of topographic data flush with measurements, ready to be turned into 3D models, digital twins, and point clouds. Armed with this information, workers save time by skipping multi-day elevation point shoots.
4. On-site Logistics
Managing a construction project is all about coordinating on-site logistics. What day is best to schedule a walkthrough? What time will an electrician show up? Has the excavator been delivered yet? Where are the stockpiles going to be placed? With competing priorities and a constant stream of owner questions, organizing these elements feels daunting, and can easily slip through the cracks.
Correct and efficient logistics planning keeps workers safe and productive in the weeks to come, and this begins with establishing a baseline view of the land. Simply put, periodic 2D drone maps provide relevant and detailed existing conditions data of the site, while identifying pain points in the physical environment like erosion sensitivities or earthworks. Once a solid plan is in place with accommodations for jurisdictional restraints, material storage, and traffic flow, it’s time to get started.
A bird’s-eye view, enabled by drone technology, assures that equipment will be placed accurately and carefully, unbroken and (hopefully) on-time. Pre-drop off, drones can be used to plan trucking routes and verifying material inventory. If road grading is required to fix elevation changes, it’s better to know as early as possible. During construction, drone imagery assists in locating stockpiles, projecting their production, and comparing as-built to as-designed plans. Additional use cases include live streaming active hauling efforts, and checking storage.
5. Slow Technology Adoption
Construction as a whole has a technology problem. In a Yooz 2023 Technology in the Workplace survey, the construction sector ranked last in technological proficiency, and workers are concerned. In the digital age, computer-based systems and modern conveniences are easy to implement and ready to use. Failing to keep up means losing skilled, typically younger workers, and falling behind in project readiness.
But the construction industry, like others, is constantly evolving. In order to stay up-to-date and remain competitive in today’s climate, general contractors must explore new, dynamic technologies and techniques that can ultimately make their jobs easier. Outside of reducing overhead costs and improving project efficiency, advanced tools keep laborers engaged and excited for how their roles will mature. While it may seem overwhelming at first, project managers can gain peace of mind knowing that these tasks can be readily outsourced to drone service providers or other specialists. Given the time it takes to scour and subscribe to various construction news sources, this may be easier in the long run for some businesses. Drones are a natural first step into the world of construction technology, and in many ways, a gateway to further ways of automation.
Getting Started: Incorporating Drone Solutions for General Contractors
In order to remain ahead of the learning curve, utilizing drone technology is crucial for better communication, documentation, and site planning. Time and time again, the tool proves its worth in reduced costs, higher efficiency, and improved project quality.
The Drone Life works with many construction companies to create tailored aerial solutions specific to a project’s unique needs. If you’re interested in evaluating whether drone technology makes sense on your worksite, schedule a free consultation with one of our drone experts. With over five years of direct experience in the AEC industry, our one-on-one consulting is personal, honest, and professional.
What's included in YOUR GUIDE...
A Proven Roadmap of Success for Implementing Drones in Construction.
A List of Red Flags to Avoid When Hiring Drone Service Providers.
How to Persuade Your Leadership Team to Leverage Drones on Every Jobsite.
