As the government has given ease in covid-19 restrictions, businesses in the real estate industry are also gearing up to speed up the process. Drones have been introduced in the construction process in the UAE real estate development sector. The latter is now gearing up for the ‘new normal’ by incorporating the use of drone technology in its operations. This initiative is taken to resume their operations and safeguarding the health of their manpower on the construction site at the same time.

A leading name in Drone and Data Technology in the Middle East, Falcon Eye Drones (FEDS) has struck an investment deal with Aerodyne Group. As per the CEO of FEDS, Mr. Rabih Bou Rashid, it is the need of the hour for the construction industry to complete their pending projects as quickly as possible to compensate for the lost time caused by the COVID-19. For this purpose, relying on drones can prove to be a viable idea not only because they ensure safe operations but also because they are time and cost-efficient. This is the major reason why more and more companies are now preferring drones to the orthodox construction process.

Statistically speaking, the use of drone technology can reduce site time wastage by 18%. At the same time, they can increase turnaround by 25%. Furthermore, their accuracy, pace, and efficiency is also better as compared to manual labour. This clearly shows their significance in the UAE real estate development sector.

With the economic operations of the UAE now being restored, the country aims to complete pending projects and launch new residential developments. Major organisations of the country are now looking for effective solutions to adapt to this new normal while keeping into consideration the health and safety of their manpower. Needless to say, if they are following conventional (pre-COVID) construction process, achieving this optimum level of efficiency and finding new solutions will prove to be a tough feat for them.  

According to Mr. Rashid, the use of drone technology in the construction sector can help to prevent mistakes that can otherwise prove to be quite costly. With drones, managers can now identify challenges they will face even during the pre-construction phase. Moreover, measuring progress before and during construction won’t be a problem for them. By employing drone technology, the safety of workers can be improved as drones can be used in those areas/sites where the risk for falls is on the higher side.

Mr. Rashid believes that primary areas where construction sector can use the drone technology are:

Project Progress Monitoring

He notes that if construction companies conduct progress monitoring using drones, it can help them to reduce project value costs by 11.8%. Not only this, but the time it takes to assemble the snag list will also be decreased by 32%. In addition to that, the need for manual supervision is eliminated and so is the cost associated with it. Manual rework can also be decreased by 25% as repeat flights can be conducted by drones to a particular site. The purpose of these repeated flights is consistent monitoring of progress.

Drones are known to provide accurate data using their high-resolution cameras. This feature can be utilised by managers to find problems before they become costly and take corrective and preventive measures timely. Managers can also plan solutions in advance. Thus, unnecessary expenses can also be reduced that arise due to delay in the completion of a project.

Site Inspection

Apart from progress monitoring, a site inspection is another area where drone technology can prove to be quite useful. It is generally considered a dangerous phase. However, with the use of drones, this danger can be mitigated up to a great extent. Construction personnel no longer have to survey hazardous and dangerous sites including skyscrapers, towering roofs, etc. Drones can be used in such sites to prevent work-related fatalities. With the help of drones, managers can view the footage of these dangerous sites without having to visit them.

Another remarkable benefit of using drones in construction areas is that they can significantly reduce the task. When it comes to site inspection, examining a risky area can take many days. But with the help of a drone, it can be accomplished quickly. Furthermore, the data it provides is more precise and accurate.

Site Mapping

It is a known fact that mapping construction sites can take a long time. Not only it is time taking, but a lot of resources are also required to map a site. However, with drones, this process can be completed speedily and effectively. The tasks are finished accurately and the manager can get their hands on updated data in a timely manner. This helps to conduct fast-track analysis. This particular feature of drones makes them extremely useful for large scale projects. Previously, companies used helicopters to take images of the site for mapping purposes. This was nothing but a waste of resources as the helicopter was flown over areas just for the purpose of capturing images. As stated above, this can be now done without wasting any resource with the help of a drone.

Follow Us