Construction worksite managers face a myriad of challenges throughout the duration of a project. From overseeing & allocating resources at the project's start to monitoring worksite progress until completion, project managers have their hands full.
In fact, many of the on-the-job challenges are actually scaring off new talent in the industry: worksites are dangerous, and those newer to the industry aren't always eager about the multitude of labor-heavy tasks at hand. The good news? The use of drones in the construction industry is becoming more commonplace, meaning worksites are safer, more efficient, and more tech-friendly (wins for both project progress and worksite employees alike).
Here are a few of the top pains a project site manager handles on a day-to-day basis...and how drones can make their jobs easier.
On construction sites, the work starts before the ground is broken. Pre-construction site assessments, feasibility studies, terrain creation, environmental impact studies, and more are all a critical part of ensuring the worksite is ready to go.
Prior to the use of drones, managers had no choice but to utilize boots on the ground to conduct these preliminary surveys - utilizing RTK GPS or total station, manual measurements for terrain elevation, and/or extremely costly LIDAR aircrafts.
With drones, managers are able to get a "drones-eye view" of worksites, greatly reducing the time and labor previously required to product accurate surveys.
Worksite safety is a huge consideration for project managers. According to a recent study by Construction Labor, "on average, 1,000 construction workers die each year, and The Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) reports that 1 in 10 construction site workers are injured every year. The Bureau of Labor Statistics figured this statistic to roughly 150,000 construction site accident injuries each year."
Falls are one of the leading causes of worksite injuries and/or deaths - and they're avoidable. Today, drones can be used to efficiently inspect large worksites from high altitudes, helping to reduce fall-related incidents.
More efficient than on-the-ground inspections, drones are able to identify hazardous conditions, dangerous materials, and other potential risks from the sky - without putting workers safety at risk.
Consistent monitoring of a construction project's performance is conducted over months or years. All worksites require cameras and/or personnel to monitor active job sites, to ensure that both materials and time are being used efficiently, and to monitor any other suspicious worksite activity.
UAV surveillance allows worksite managers to keep an eye on project progress, no matter what their proximity to the actual worksite might be. The real-time data collected from drones gives project managers a visual progress report, so that they're able to communicate progress to key stakeholders.
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