Drones Take Construction Grading to New Heights

Excavation and grading are always one of the most difficult items to bid accurately and perform to standard.  During the preliminary bid process many of the proposed documents are not based on actual field surveys but rather on inaccurate methods because of the cost to deploy survey crews.   Indeed, the issue has become so prevalent that project managers will oftentimes inflate costs simply to account for the numerous excess charges that appear in the finalized invoice. The other alternative is to create low bids that then have numerous overcharges in the field which inevitably ruins the client relationship.

With the introduction of commercial UAVs or drones, grade counters can be obtained at a fraction of the traditional time and cost. In addition to standard contour lines and topographic maps, bonus features such as orthomosaics and point clouds can be included without having to perform additional data collection. On-site workstations can additionally facilitate a smooth and seamless workflow from the field to the office to the client. Most importantly, third party researchers have discovered that aerial data is within sub-centimeters of difference when compared to satellite imagery or LiDAR. It is subsequently no surprise that drones have begun soaring into the construction bidding process. Survey crews have typically been employed to assess the actual site grades, which results in prohibitively high costs. Drones on the other hand can provide relative grades without endangering workers and at a far more reasonable price: all of which has paved the way for increased site due diligence, amicable bidding processes and better field performance.

Although there are many proven benefits to utilizing UAVs for civil engineering and commercial construction purposes, many firms have come to realize purchasing the latest or most expensive model is not enough. What’s more, most firms do no possess the necessary FAA authorization to operate drones. Please feel free to contact DroneView Technologies for unparalleled expertise across many industries and services throughout the United States.