Isn’t technology wonderful? My husband and I appreciate technology very much since both our works are dependent on it. My husband does production work for the church (so yeah, for those who’ve been confused about what he does, he works for our church, but not as a pastor, but as Music Director and Producer for the Kids Ministry department), which is being utilised more during this pandemic season; and I am a freelancer who uses several different softwares to manage my tasks.
It’s amazing how technology has transformed the face of many industries. Even small photography businesses can utilise technology to deliver better services to their clientelle. Our good friend and next-door neighbour runs a small video and photography biz, and one of the gadgets that helps him a lot in his field is his drone.
Image by Deva Darshan on Unsplash
A drone is something like this one on this site, https://omniviewtech.ca/products/dji-matrice-300-rtk . Videographers usually use them to take beautiful aerial shots of their subjects. Drones are now being popularly used in many movies and television series.
But drones have far more uses than those in the entertainment industry. Drones are now being used extensively across many fields, such as in the military, agriculture, insurances, police work, deliveries and construction.
You might be wondering what uses drones have in construction when it heavily uses manpower to build structures. But like any other industry, there are plenty of work being done behind the scenes. Drones are mostly beneficial to the architects, engineers, and contractors whose works are crucial to the durability and efficiency, as well as the effectiveness of the aesthetics of the final structure.
Image by Shane McLendon on Unsplash
Here are 3 Practical reasons why construction companies must use drones:
1. It’s Cost-effective for imaging and marketing purposes
Construction companies no longer need to rent helicopters or planes, which cost an arm, to take aerial images of projects to show potential clients or use for presentations or profiles. Drones can now do this job.
It also makes it easier to take progress photos of sites and surveying areas for construction. It’s easier to monitor and gather information you need on a daily basis.
2. Lessens on-site risks
I mentioned above that drones can be used to take progress photos in construction sites which makes it, not only cost-effective, but lessens the risks for your workers and staff, as some of the locations from which these progress photos have to be taken from are high and unsafe, or difficult to access due to uneven terrains and harrowed surfaces.
Constructions of road infrastructures that need access mats, e.g. northern mat, and bridges to be able to traverse through may not be ideal to access on foot. You can get the job done without compromising your safety, or that of your crew, by using drones to do the work for you.
3. Can be used for security purposes
With proper licenses and permits, a construction company can use drones as a surveillance tool for security purposes. It can also be used for emergencies, such as providing the information you will need to provide aid if there are any on-site accidents or mishaps.
Challenges in using drones
When there are pros to using new and more advanced technology, there are also a few roadblocks to hurdle. For instance, you have to decide whether to invest in an in-house drone system or partner with a drone service provider, both of which have challenges that come with it.
On both options, you have to shoulder overhead costs – cost on hardware, training and maintenance, should you choose to own it, and service fees and other costs that you will be charged by your drone service provider.
It may also pose a challenge to find the right provider to partner with, as they must be able to understand your needs and coordinate with your team on schedule of flights and data integration.
There are also security warnings issued on sensitive data being wrongfully transmitted through drones to recipients that pose security threats.
But drones, when properly managed, can contribute highly to the quality work produced by the company.
Personally, I think that these challenges can be managed and the costs justifiable. You just need a bit of planning so you can integrate and implement drone usage in your construction business safely and effectively.
*This is a sponsored post.