Discourse and commonplace conflict are nothing new to construction. According to the 2019 ARCADIS Global Construction Report, up to 30% of projects end in dispute, accounting for roughly 1 to 5% of project management fees per project. Whether for noise ordinance violations, incomplete work, or contractual matters, these disputes have the potential for hugely damaging consequences in the form of fees, fines, and general litigation. In California, the average cost of litigating a construction dispute hit $135,000 in 2022 (and that just covers attorney fees!).
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“It’s unlikely to be in the construction industry for very long and not run into a dispute.”
While organizations try their best to remain vigilant, the added pressure of upcoming deadlines and site walks can often lead to rushed, patchwork-style work – and as a result, costly mistakes. When concrete has already been poured, this can easily turn into a problem costing millions of dollars. But with a host of competing priorities, reporting, and scheduling, how does one find the time to proactively identify and therefore, resolve these problems? Drone technology can help.
Project Progress from a Bird’s-Eye View
Of course, the best way to address these all-too-common arguments is to prevent these issues from happening in the first place. Utilizing a drone service provider, drone software, or in-house drone pilot ensures a complete, accurate view of your site on-demand. By incorporating billable hours into the project, contractors can use this imagery as a step-by-step guide to site progress. This becomes especially helpful in the event of litigation – but it has even more pertinent use cases when it comes to communicating exact deadlines, scheduling necessary teams, or in some cases, even recording precise measurements.
As a single source of truth, these photos, videos, and orthomosaic maps likely integrate with construction software your company already uses (like Autodesk, Bluebeam, or Procore) and can be quickly accessed by stakeholders. Orthomosaic maps are the culmination of thousands of individual, high-resolution drone photos, and present a sharp, interactive view of your site or construction project.
Related Article – How to Pitch Drone Solutions to Your Boss, a Step by Step 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.
Even if a weekly or consistent drone flight is not feasible due to budget or other constraints, drone technology can still be valuable after the project is completed. Outside of the obvious promotional or marketing applications, drones make it simple to scan, identify, and pinpoint project inconsistencies and/or work completed for clients and contractors alike. With just one aerial survey, teams can retroactively discover mistakes or problem areas. This can make it easier to address issues that may arise after the project is completed.
Pre- and Post-Work Site Inspections
By employing regular site scans at scheduled intervals throughout your project, you can ensure that all work is documented, complete, and most importantly, verifiable. Capturing worksite conditions before your team breaks ground minimizes later arguments surrounding pre-work or safety. Recording site progress eliminates uncertainty and gives stakeholders a constant, remote look into project management. Documenting project completion or even the final sitewalk before handoff allows for clear, unquestionable proof of a job well done. In this way, think of drone technology as your personal insurance policy – the more documentation, the better!
“In cases where a project progresses on top of faulty construction, it’s difficult if not impossible to trace where the mistake was made or who made it. Drone data provides clear, accurate, and retrievable documentation at frequent points in the construction process.”
In the traditionally analog construction industry, detailed images and in-app notes offer a stark contrast to scribbled messages and instructions on paper. Armed with all of the historical data you can provide, objections lose validity with both time- and geo-stamped drone imagery – an accurate, indisputable record of project progress.
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Conflict Resolution
Unbiased photogrammetry is your best tool for issue identification and eventually, conflict resolution in construction. For those unfamiliar with the process, this involves using a drone to capture various 2D images over a selected geographic area, and with the help of photogrammetry software (like DroneDeploy, Pix4D, or Trimble), turn them into complex, varied 3D terrain models. With a low initial investment, total data available skyrockets. While this is useful for tracking site progress and communicating details and priorities to cross-functional teams, it is pivotal as backup documentation for workplace disputes, change orders, and litigation. With this kind of drone imagery at your disposal, costly errors or change orders can be avoided altogether.
At The Drone Life, our team of experts offer 1:1 consulting and tailored aerial service solutions for your construction project or organization. With over five years of direct experience in the AEC industry, we can assist on everything from site surveying to mapping to drone program implementation.
If you’re interested in learning more about drone documentation for conflict management, schedule a free consultation with one of our drone experts.
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.
