b'Providing a higher level of security on the jobsite. Drones perform a number of important security functions, including monitoring the safety of workers, protecting the jobsitefrom theft or vandalism, and providing continual real-time surveillance. Drones are seen as a vehicle to raise the level of onsite security.Taking the complication associated with health and safety (H&S) inspections out of the equation. Drones carrying out H&S inspections save time and reduce risks. Drone video footage can be forwarded to supervisory and other staff quickly and effectively. These inspections can be carried out moreThe construction industry is one of the sectors that has become often, providing real-time safety information resulting in quickerheavily invested in drones. Drone use in construction is steadily corrective action and result in increased jobsite safety.growing year after year and is forecast to continue. Our drone Other current applications of drones at construction sites includebusiness in the construction sector has been growing at a rate maintenance inspections, project progress reports, site logisticsof nearly 30 per cent over the last few years, states Hanson, and thermal imaging recording.adding that drone technology offers solutions beyond just active construction projectsit can also add value to pre-construction IN THE REAL WORLD and marketing.According to Daniel Euteneier, virtual design & constructionEuteneier agrees that drone use will expand and points to tasks manager at EllisDon, his company is firmly committed to dronesuch as scanning of walls to check for plumbness and verticality, technology and the wide variety of uses drones have on thewelding and silo inspections and a wider range of tasks in the jobsite. We use drones for many tasks on sites, from trackingexcavation area. The key will be using drones as the right tool soil movement and analyzing grades to marketing videos thatfor the right job.keep owners up-to-date on the progress of a project. Drones can also monitor stockpile capacity on sites, performDrone technology is making inroads in the construction industry a wide range of surveying and inspection processes, andfor two reasons: drones save time and money. Drone technology assist with building information models and 3D surfaces.is improving at a significant ratelike the cellphone industry, Euteneier notes that as an example, a site survey that couldaccording to Hansonand will help advance the construction take a surveying crew more than two weeks to complete can beindustry for the foreseeable future.accomplished by a drone in one day. It is all about process and the ability to generate value for the company, he explains.Drones are about collecting data and images quickly andKEY ISSUES FOR efficiently and being able to manage the jobsite more effectively. The communication aspect is also enhanced by drones. TheyCONSTRUCTIONhelp to increase the flow of site information to clients, subtrades and other stakeholders. This helps build relationships betweenDRONE OPERATORSstakeholders and creates more of a team approach forthe project. 1. Operating a commercial drone is a two-person job and requires trained people who understand drone use and the Companies are taking one of two approaches to drone use: theymodel of drone they are using.are either establishing drone sections within their companies or outsourcing the work to drone service companies. EllisDon uses2.Drone operators need experience in theboth approaches, depending on the project, states Euteneier.construction industry.Some projects require only straightforward data collection that can be handled by in-house staff. More complex projects that3. Weather conditions, particularly cloud, winds, rain and snow, are located in sensitive areas (i.e., in downtown areas or nearcan prevent proper operation of drones and operators need airports) typically require outsourcing to companies with moreto be aware of such conditions when a drone flightdata gathering and pilot experience. is planned.Hanson indicates that his companys experience shows there is4.Drones are an expensive apparatus and need to be about a 50-50 split between handling drones in-house versusoperated with respect for the machine itself, the project outsourcing. He goes on to say that in-house drone sections arebeing constructed, the safety of workers on the site and the typically pursued by larger construction firms. objective of the flight plan.Taking the in-house approach has its challenges. Transport5. Navigating a drone safely around construction sites can Canada regulations include drone registration, training andbe difficult considering all of the obstacles, buildings and certification of pilots, understanding of the rules, and restrictionsworkers in the construction area. Drone use in construction for drone flights. The latter includes controlled air spaces anddemands full engagement by drone operators to ensure a public safety requirements that dictate serious fines and othersafe and successful flight.consequences for violations.BUILDERSDIGEST Quarter 1 202035'