UAVs will improve site safety records

Whether they’re used for surveying, to show clients and potential clients an aerial overview of completed projects, to monitor construction sites to ensure safe practices or to inspect bridges and other structures, UAVs have the potential to become one of the most important tools for the construction industry. Indeed, UAVs, or drones, are now being used widely across almost every industry and nowhere is their impact being more effective than in construction.

UAVs are being used to assess potential construction sites and identify possible structural issues. Such work would be difficult if not impossible without the high resolution images that can be obtained by using the type of aerial views that can come from a UAV. Not only is this technology capable of delivering precise up to date information through aerial mapping, this can be collated in a way that minimizes the need to put construction workers at risk, significantly reducing safety hazards. Furthermore using real time aerial imagery during the project can identify where workers are not using safe methods or following safety guidelines.

Real-time communication is just one benefit of UAV surveys, observing anywhere on a site through a live video or radio connection between workers in the field and the safety manager, can massively improve the efficiency of the role of the safety manager. The potential for UAVs to dramatically improve on site safety records cannot be underestimated.

One of the main aims in using UAVs is to increase worker safety but they can also reduce costs associated with poor communications from site and reduce material theft. UAVs have a variety of uses not only providing real-time reconnaissance and surveillance in the form of high-definition (HD) video, still images, and light detection but ranging to LIDAR surveys to create 3-D models. These images and models can be superimposed over existing plans and each other in order to:

• identify changes;
• provide evidence e.g. on progress;
• proactively solve or prevent issues;
• communicate more effectively and efficiently; and
• report cost, time and energy savings.

UAVs can be used to create a 3-D model of the site that can be compared to original drawings & plans and construction documents, allowing any notable deviations in construction progress, process, materials and methods to be identified.

The benefits of  using such technology are significant yet there is still much to be done in terms of raising the awareness amongst industry executives to fully take advantage of the benefits that such technology offers.

Safety in construction is not only a human issue but it is also an economic one and UAVs can make significant improvements in both these areas if they were used more widely.  

Contact us to find out more about our UAV services 01444 401840