Project managers in the construction industry have major responsibilities. Monitoring the environment, ensuring everything is on schedule and under budget, and making sure workers are safe is a job that requires constant vigilance.
With so much on project manager’s plates, anything that can be used to help lighten their load while maintaining the efficiency and safety the project requires should be considered. One such tool that does this is drones in construction.
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Drones in the construction industry saw a 239% growth from 2017 to 2018, and the use of these innovative pieces of tech promises to only increase.
In any industry, when there is an innovation that cuts costs and streamlines efficiency, it eventually becomes the norm. This is what is happening with drones.
Many project managers that are adaptable and future-forward have begun implementing them.
There are many reasons drones in construction are growing in popularity, and they offer a seamless and easy way to augment the role of the project manager with improved processes. Here are some of the reasons why innovative project managers are using drones to enhance their business practices.
Staying on Schedule
According to a 2016 report by McKinsey & Company, large construction jobs on average take longer than scheduled by 20% and frequently cost almost twice the budgeted amount.
Running over scheduled time invariably results in a large increase in budget, as time is money in this industry. This is one of the benefits of drones in the construction industry: they help project managers stay on schedule.
With the use of drones, project managers can effectively monitor the entirety of their operation, which allows them to know what needs to be done. Receiving periodic updates of the situation on-site will help project managers stay in the loop during the building process.
This will make staying on schedule much easier because the consistent drone photos will provide up-to-date information on every aspect of the progression.
With consistent updates from construction drones that provide photos of angles that might be invisible to the human eye, project managers can make next-step decisions with more information in hand.
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.
HAVE QUESTIONS ABOUT droneS? START HERE.
Strategic Planning
Construction is an industry where so much depends on meticulously planned decisions. There is a lot of information and details that must be considered before the process even begins.
Building on a site that is unsuitable is extremely dangerous, so figuring out details about the environment you intend to build on is not just essential to the success of your project, but also the safety of the workers.
The planning process is simplified and made more accurate with construction drone photography. There’s a lot to account for when building on a site, including elevation, vegetation, drainage spots, and much more.
By having overhead angles of a site you intend to build on, you can see things like topography and elevation much more clearly. And because it is in the format of a photo or video, this information is reviewable and easily shareable. This makes the planning process simple because rather than relying on memory or notes, you have concrete visual data.
Drones are an easy way to simplify the strategic planning process for project managers looking to receive as much information as possible about the area they expect to build in.
Better Communication
Like in every business, clear communication is essential in construction.
The people most invested in the progress of the construction are typically not often on-site, and it is important to keep them in the loop with the day to day of process. For clients, investors, or supervisors who aren’t around to track the progress of the building, construction drone videography makes for an easy way to stay informed.
With drone footage, project managers can provide visual feedback to parties who aren’t able to be around. For investors, clients, and all other people with a stake in the operation, this will ease their minds as they can see the progress of the project.
The drone footage is also helpful for project managers communicating with their team.
With drone flyovers, project managers can gain photographs or videos of areas that need work, making it easier for them to direct workers to specific spots on the site.
Equipment and Worker Management
Project managers oversee a lot of aspects of the build, and with an aerial map of the construction site, keeping track of all the various factors is made simpler. These maps can be used to see if machinery and equipment are missing or left in the wrong area of the site, and they can also identify potential problem areas.
These aerial maps allow project managers to coordinate from the office, receiving all the information they need without even having to be on-site. A high-definition map that allows project managers to scroll and zoom in on specific areas has endless practical uses.
Another perk to drones in the construction industry is that workers no longer need to do certain potentially risky jobs, like investigating rooftops.
Drones aerial photography present better data than an in-person investigation could, removing the need for workers to be involved in that precarious situation.
Drones allow project managers to scout out potential hazards to workers, making the construction site a significantly safer environment.
See the Benefits for Yourself!
At The Drone Life, we have a team of licensed drone pilots that are experienced in helping businesses enhance their processes through the use of drone technology.
We’ve worked with many companies within the construction industry, and our services have helped numerous project managers streamline communication, stay on progress and under budget, and better manage their workers and equipment.
Implementing drones in your construction workflow can completely change your companies’ operations throughout the entire bidding, planning, and building process. The Drone Life specializes in partnering with construction and engineering companies to minimize pain points, increase profit margins, and ensure that projects are completed within deadline. Learn more about our solutions, completed projects, and pricing here.
For even more information about using drones in the construction industry download our completely free and value-packed PDF – Drones in Construction: The Ultimate Guide.
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.
