24th May 2019
Forget next day, could next minute delivery be the future? For years now, tech companies like Amazon and Uber have been promising delivery drones that can bring goods to your door in just a matter of minutes. The advancement in driverless car technology has also got a lot of people excited when it comes to delivery options. In fact, American supermarket chain Kroger has actually rolled out a self-driving car programme, in which orders can be placed online and delivered to homes without the need for a driver.
Is the construction industry ready for drone deliveries?
If drone and driverless deliveries were to take off, would you be comfortable with your drill bits and hand tools being flown out to you via drone? Would you trust a car without a driver to drop off your bi-fold doors?
Construction has always been a notoriously traditional industry with technology often shunned in favour of old-fashioned methods. As a result, many in the industry may be a bit wary of the idea of trusting drones and driverless cars for deliveries on a regular basis. What’s more, if the skies were to become crowded with delivery drones, airspace rules would need to be updated to prevent the threat of accidents and terrorist attacks. There’s also the issue of the high-pitched buzzing noise that drones make, something that was flagged as a real issue by locals of an Australian suburb during a fast food drone delivery trial.
What are the other uses for drones in the industry?
While drones do have a role to play in logistics and aerial deliveries of some equipment and materials, it may be a while before we see them delivering products to site on a regular basis. There are however ways in which drones are currently playing a part in the construction industry and with good quality drones now available for just a couple of hundred pounds, this technology is much more accessible to general builders than before.
Assessment of land
At assessment stage, drones can be used to map out the land available and highlight potential hazards, something that can potentially delay a project. Drones enable you to produce accurate surveys of land in a timelier manner without the risk of human error; as a result, more and more people are using them instead of traditional surveying methods.
Communication and project management
Drone technology has advanced to the point where constant connectivity with site is now possible. Real time data from drones enables more efficient project management as you’re able to keep tabs on both the project and those working on site. Drones are also a great way to highlight the progress of a project and allow you to share updates with stakeholders and produce fantastic marketing material once it’s complete.
Security
Another way in which drones can be of real use in the construction industry is for improving security. The constant surveillance of construction sites by drones helps to maintain the safety of employees whilst also putting off potential vandals and thieves. The use of additional camera features such as thermal imagery can identify overheating or fires from a safe distance, immediately alerting those on site and in the office.
Are you using drones?
We’re keen to get the industry’s thoughts on the use of drones, so if you’re either already using them for your projects or you’re now considering it after reading this article, let us know over on Twitter by tagging us using @Eurocellplc.