CASE and Leica Geosystems present three ways that drones are impacting jobsites
Unmanned Aerial Vehicles (UAV’s) are increasingly being used in commercial applications, including in forestry and construction. The three applications are presented below, along with additional information on certification/legality.
- Pre-construction inspection/estimating: Drones give large earthmoving contractors a perspective that they never had before without paying for aerial photography from a plane or helicopter. Drones give contractors a photographic perspective of large commercial and industrial sites, which can sit on hundreds of acres, to give them a better understanding of the geographic challenges/realities of the site. It also allows for examination of adjoining properties to help get a better understanding of drainage and how water will flow from site-to-site. Pipeline and utility companies can use drones to inspect right of ways to make any number of inferences on upcoming/maintenance construction projects. Drones can also be used to take land measurements that assist in the bidding/estimating process.
- Taking measurements and monitoring progress: Drones are being used in many ways to help determine the quantities of materials on site – from stockpiles in aggregates operations to rough cuts in mass excavation applications. The current precision of these measurement techniques is not as high as more traditional earthbound methods, but it is considerably faster and more efficient (one airborne view that can be repeated effortlessly throughout the day/week/month vs. numerous set-ups on the ground). This is accomplished through the science of photogrammetry. Points with real-world positions are included in each photograph, and then the person processing the photo can apply a scale via those points to determine the size of select objects. Some large-scale earthmoving operations will fly a drone multiple times throughout the course of a day or week to gauge progress and measure quantities. This is a good measurement of progress, and is also useful in helping determine if there is an excess of material on site that will have to be removed, or if additional material will have to be trucked in.
- Building/Infrastructure Inspection: Nothing replaces the accuracy of inspecting something while standing right in front of it – but in times of urgency, or in dangerous locations where inspections potentially put someone at risk, a drone can quickly move into position to capture imagery that shows the condition/integrity of a structure. Bridges, buildings, pipelines, etc. – these remote inspection points can now be reached almost effortlessly with a drone.
- Certification/Legality: It’s important for the business user to understand and follow the regulations put forth by the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) in the US, or the local regulations in your country. In the US, operators must pass an FAA-proctored airman aeronautical knowledge exam (commonly referred to as the FAA Part 107 test) and then apply for a remote pilot airman certificate from the FAA. Once obtained, operators are free to use their drones for commercial use within the scope of FAA Part 107, which dictates safe operational practices based on airspace, location and a good deal of common sense. Having the certification also protects each company from possible fines and liabilities, etc. if caught using one without it. The test requires a bit of studying, but is inexpensive to take and worth the investment in the business.
Where telematics and machine control have dominated the technology discussion for the last few years, drone-mounted evolutions in these technologies appear ready to dominate headlines for the next few years. Source