Drones are becoming an increasingly important tool for industrial inspections of all kinds, from renewable energy farms to corporate real estate. The technology is helping engineers gather data and make informed decisions faster than before, while cutting overall costs and reducing downtime.
One particular area of building inspection and maintenance seeing the benefit of drones is the work undertaken by technicians to ensure Heating, Ventilation, and Air Conditioning (HVAC) systems are kept in good working order.
Minimizing rooftop ops
Many types of inspection require teams to get close enough to see what’s going on. Only then can they fully assess a situation and determine the actions needed. HVAC inspections are no different.
However, major components of these systems usually sit on the roofs of commercial structures. It can be a long way up (and a long way down) for maintenance crews. Even with ladders, scaffolding and safety harnesses, crews across the country are put in harm’s way every single day during these operations.
Drone’s offer a faster, safer and more efficient alternative. Surveying rooftops and HVAC units from above can be done in a matter of minutes, giving the team on the ground a full understanding of a situation before they commit further resources or make a risky climb up to see for themselves.
Cutting maintenance costs
On top of reducing the time technicians spend in dangerous situations, adopting drone technology for HVAC inspections can significantly reduce costs over the long term.
Using drones means faster, more efficient inspections. In practice, that means fewer man-hours required to maintain HVAC units, less downtime, and lower overall costs as a result.
This reduction in costs can give facilities managers greater scope for proactive maintenance and more regular inspections. Used on a regular basis, drone technology can transform the HVAC inspection process and highlight issues before they turn into expensive and critical failures.
Smarter inspections and smarter data
Drone inspections aren’t all about streaming high-definition video to crews safely back in the office. They’re also about innovating workflows and integrating the latest technology to help teams work smarter.
A case in point is the DroneBase Insights platform. With it, drone data is analyzed by AI to generate insights based on years’ worth of aerial data. Reports and condition assessments are automated to help property managers with an end-to-end aerial inspection solution.
Drones can also introduce an array of different sensors to HVAC inspections. Thermal imaging drone sensors, for example, can help inspection crews spot anomalies on rooftops and even minor damage to HVAC units.
As drones, their payloads and the accompanying software continue to get smarter, it’s an exciting time to adopt the technology. By combining AI, drones and the latest in aerial imagery, facilities managers can work smarter, faster and safer than ever before.
Integrating all of that tech into your commercial HVAC inspection checklist and current workflows doesn’t have to be a daunting or expensive process. By working with DroneBase, managers can avoid the high up-front costs that come with buying drone hardware outright and training pilots.
Find out more about working with our nationwide pilot network and get a quote for your HVAC inspections on our Property Management page.
