It seems that drones will be key players in constructions in the near future, but for the moment they perform major tasks such as construction site surveys and mappings.
Activities on Construction sites are a bit like life inside a beehive. At first sight, it is quite difficult to grasp what the bees are doing. You can see a lot of industrious movement in all directions, and it seems that there is no system behind. On the contrary, bees are very well organized, and according to their specific job - as queen, worker bees, or drones – they do exactly know what to do and where to go. Likewise, works at a construction site need to be strictly coordinated, so that every operator knows where to be and what to do.
The biggest challenge at construction sites is being constantly aware whether a work or service was carried out perfectly and on time. Yet, something is changing, and a revolution is just around the corner. Like their counterparts in a beehive, small and swift drones will be key players in constructions in the near future.
Little robots, so much information
In order to get used to a drone revolution scenery, with swarms of drones flying high in the sky, we will still have to wait a few years.
These flying devices are almost ready to build our cities in the future, but for the moment they perform major tasks, such as construction site surveys and mappings. Their ability to venture everywhere allows carrying out in-depth analyses and providing detailed pictures of the territory. Thus, they can offer more abundant and reliable real-time information.
All of this makes it possible to produce live 3D models and interactive workplace maps.
Clients may so superimpose new floors to parts of already constructed buildings, perform volumetric measurements and take notes for themselves or to be shared with colleagues. This also is a great benefit in terms of work safety, and in relation to delayed or out-of-budget projects.
Drones might therefore appear as innovative pieces of technology, but somebody thinks they might contribute even more to building infrastructures all over the world.
Drone revolution
Drones are absolutely necessary technological devices for companies that want to remain cutting-edge. When it comes to automation in the construction sector, drones can give their best!
Still, how can a machine handle a hammer, or contribute to the construction of a house or a skyscraper?
Back in 2011, a robotics team from the ETH Zurich Institute offered an example of what would probably happen in the near future. A tower made of 1500 polystyrene bricks, assembled without any human intervention. One by one, the drone fleet placed every piece in its place, led by mathematical algorithms obtained from the digital design and translated into flight paths.
We are on the eve of a new world. Tomorrow, life in construction sites will become progressively quicker and easier by means of drones: with just a 15-minute flight, we will have more productivity and a considerable amount of data to use in numberless ways.
Innovation, evolution and research never stop. Why not take advantage of these opportunities? Tell us your opinion!