Drones are becoming a staple tool on construction sites.
In fact, the fastest-growing commercial adopter of drones is the construction industry. And there's many reasons for this.
Drone data benefits construction firms in multiple ways. It can be collected safely, quickly, and accurately to help companies keep track of their on-site progress, streamline communication and decision-making, spot for errors, build detailed maps and 3D models, and keep staff away from dangerous areas.
Deploying drones for construction can save hundreds of thousands of pounds during a project life cycle and can be far more efficient than traditional methods - taking a matter of hours to collect data, instead of days, in some cases.
Richard Clement, from Komatsu, says: "Because of drones and their associated software, data can be collected from a site in half an hour, compared to three days using traditional hand-held methods. Drones enable firms to create highly accurate maps and point clouds, discover costly job-site mistakes, and predict schedule delays, saving up to tens of thousands of pounds per week.”
Here are some of the organisations we have trained and supplied drones to.
best in class commercial drone
The Matrice 300 RTK is DJI’s most powerful commercial drone to date. The drone is a highly-efficient solution, with enhanced endurance and compatibility with a vast array of cameras/sensors.
Photogrammetry, Thermal and LiDAR Payloads for Construction Surveys
The DJI L1 is a powerful plug-and-play solution which makes aerial LiDAR accessible. A LiDAR point cloud can be crucial for construction and infrastructure projects - helping to build 3D models and digital twins which are ideal for BIM applications.
The P1 45MP full-frame camera is a high-resolution photogrammetry solution. Photogrammetry is a key application for the construction industry, capturing aerial data to build high-quality maps and models of your site. These can be used to monitor progress, spot for mistakes and conduct calculations, such as measuring stockpiles and cut and fill analysis. These digital assets can be quickly shared with colleagues and stakeholders to improve communication.
The H20T is a versatile camera for the construction industry, offering thermal, wide-angle, zoom and laser rangefinder capabilities in one payload. Thermal imaging can identify issues which can be missed with the naked eye, such as heat loss, water leaks, moisture ingress and overheating. A zoom and wide camera can be used to spotcheck faults during the build process.
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The Phantom 4 RTK is a purpose-built low-altitude surveying aircraft and is a comprehensive entry-level mapping drone, engineered to provide survey-grade results with greater efficiency than ever before.
The heliguy™ ecosystem involves everything from training to supply and repair.
Drone training is just one part of a drone programme.
heliguy™ provides end-to-end support encompassing all aspects of a drone programme, from dynamic supply to in-house repairs & maintenance. This provides continuity from your drone training experience.
Commercial drone training trusted by the consturciton industry
heliguy™ is an industry leader in drone training and can support you in starting and scaling your AEC drone programme.
Our in-house team of instructors - including ex-military personnel and GIS specialists - have vast experience in multirotor and fixed-wing aircraft.
They have taught more than 3,000 candidates and delivered training to the likes of Network Rail, National Grid, Balfour Beatty, London Fire Brigade, Phillips 66, PD Ports, and police forces around the UK.
heliguy™ drone training benefits include:
heliguy™ provides dedicated surveying and GIS training.
As part of this, and to help surveyors make the most of their L1 data, heliguy™ is starting a geospatial workflow course, which will include L1 best practices and post-processing in DJI Terra and TerraSolid. It will also include comprehensive training on the M300 RTK.
This course will be accessible via the online Learning Management System and will include video tutorials and PDF guides.
Turning aerial survey data into actionable insights.
Collecting drone data is one thing, but using it to make actionable decisions is another.
Thankfully, there is a suite of post-processing software to help turn your data into fully-formed 2D maps and 3D models.
Providing an end-to-end workflow, these platforms can also be utilised for mission planning and streamlining communication.
DJI Terra is a 3D modelling and drone mapping software package. This all-in-one drone mapping solution allows pilots to automate flight routes and collect real-time insights, helping surveyors plan, visualise, process, and analyse drone mapping data.
For the AEC industry, process your drone data in DJI Terra to conduct measurements and analyse your job site to bolster decision-making and improve collaboration, and perform inspections of complex assets and structures.
Create and plan efficient flight paths prior to your operations and automate complex missions.
Collect and centralise drone data.
Suite of tools to help you obtain measurements such as volume and distance, providing key insights about your survey area.
Bulk process up to 400 images/1GB of RAM (based on images captured using P4 RTK) and generate reconstruction missions using multiple graphics cards simultaneously to improve efficiency.
Convert the coordinates of your maps and models into 8,500+ major coordinate systems. Create highly-accurate georeferenced maps and models by incorporating POS data and/or GCPs into your project's target coordinate system.
Process point cloud data captured by the Zenmuse L1. Calculate POS data, fuse point cloud/visible light data, and export point clouds. Use in conjunction with TerraSolid to conduct deeper analysis, classification and cleaning.
Esri Site Scan for ArcGIS is a comprehensive data acquisition and cloud processing platform, especially suited to the AEC industry.
This cloud-based software suite provides an end-to-end drone mapping workflow, comprising drone flight planning, fleet management, image processing, and data analysis capabilities.
Repeat flight plans to collect accurate data and keep up to date with progress on your job site.
Process imagery in the cloud (EU-based) to build detailed and accurate 2D maps and 3D reconstructions.
Utilise a range of analysis and measurement tools to collect meaningful insights to help shape informed decision-making.
Share your data and analysis with staff and stakeholders - quickly and easily - to streamline communication, improve joint-up decision-making, and eradicate miscommunication.
Manage your drone fleet to ensure the smooth and safe running of your UAS operations.
Request a call back after the event or ask any questions you may have.
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