One technology that is making a considerable change is the pairing of drones with AR technology. This pairing allows construction teams a holistic view of projects and real-time mapping that will allow a full view of progress and problem areas allowing teams to arrange and react accordingly.
This new technology used in construction will not only benefit the sector, but it will open up job opportunities for skills and development to operate and manage the technology.
Drone and AI will provide the following benefits:
Safety
In the line of work of construction mistakes and oversights can result in serious injury or in some cases even death, thus making safety a top priority. With this technology safety has become a lot easier to manage, firstly AR provides geospatial data to be overlaid in real-time on drones video feeds that in turn improve awareness.
This way teams are provided with data that in the past they would not have access to such as the real-time location of workers and the measurement of surrounding structures. This type of data can be used to prevent any mistakes or accidents.
Efficiency
With AR drones it is possible to save time when completing site inspections, what once would take weeks of site surveying can now be done in just a few hours. Due to the short time taken, it allows teams to conduct site inspections on a more frequent basis that boosts overall safety. Teams are also able to optimise routine maintenance and ensure structural integrity.
Time saved will save money as currently according to McKinsey, large construction projects can take up to 20% longer to finish than originally scheduled and run up to 80% over budget. By incorporating technology into the construction sector McKinsey forecasts, construction and engineering companies can boost their annual output by $1.6Tr.
It is clear that with the increasing popularity of AR drones a new type of employment will be needed. Construction drones will create an “exponential increase” in demand for skilled labourers in the industry, including drone pilots, AR specialists, and data scientists.
The benefits do not end there, all people will enjoy stronger structures, safer communities, and the economic benefits of new job opportunities and greater productivity.
Image source by Drone Services Canada Inc