One advantage of a drone is that it can be used to monitor a project and the contractor doesn’t have to be there.
Drones are turning into a building contractor’s eye in the sky when it comes to monitoring a job site. They are particularly useful on large construction projects where it’s difficult to keep track of progress but work for any size project as well. Efficiency is key to finishing a project on time while keeping costs low and avoiding potential problems. One other area contractors can make more efficient is in how they study and take continuing education exams to get relicensed. Online or correspondence contractor classes that have been preapproved by the state’s licensing board can make compliance less costly, and provide a more efficient way to comply with the requirements.
Comparing Construction to the Architectural Plan
By using a drone on a regular basis to fly around and take photos, a 3D model can be used to compare the construction with the architect’s plans to see if it is correct. Drones can also be used to photograph building interiors such as walls, ceilings, and floors to ensure that the construction meets specifications.
Monitoring Locations at Risk
Contractors know that a slowdown in one area of a construction project can adversely affect other parts of construction as lags cause delays. By using a drone, the contractor can see what areas are falling behind and whether to move workers to another area to catch up.
Accurate Progress Reports
A drone does a lot more than allow a contractor to see how the project is progressing. The project can be viewed from many angles and also provides a permanent record. In addition, it allows the owners or investors in a project to see how it is progressing on a regular basis. When the project site is in 3D, it can not only be seen from any angle but allows the viewer to use a zoom feature to get a closer look. By flying the drone on the same path over time, time lapse videos can be created. This feature is impressive not only to current clients but can be used to show future clients how the project will be mapped along the way.
Repeated aerial views can be stacked to create an impressive timeline of a project.
Safety Monitoring
According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, 4,836 workers died in 2015 as a result of accidents. Fatalities among construction workers were 924, the highest since the year 2008. That same year, there were 2.9 million workers reported as injured nationwide. That translates into a great deal of money and work time lost to employers. By using a drone for monitoring a work site, you can ensure that dangerous conditions will be spotted, and workers are complying with safety regulations. In addition, drones can be used to conduct inspections that were previously done by employees in a faster, more efficient manner.
Monitoring Materials
Materials and equipment are a large part of a company’s expense. Being able to monitor whether volumetric estimations of materials are sufficient or whether the stockpile is getting low can help avoid slowdowns waiting for new materials to arrive. Monitoring the use of equipment is also helpful to ensure that progress continues in areas such as creating temporary roads.
Checking for Structural Integrity
Elevations and pours are an important part of the construction process. Using a drone to monitor such activities relating to structural integrity can help not only avoid undetected weaknesses but problems in the future that might result in litigation to correct the problem.
Contractor Classes
PDH Contractor Academy offers handy online or correspondence contractor classes for a number of different states. Our classes let a contractor study and take the exam whenever and wherever he or she wants, in order to meet the educational course relicensing requirements. When the test is successfully completed, we at PDH Contractor Academy notify the state where permissible and supply the contractor with a certificate of completion. Browse courses by state to learn more or begin a course.