The Fourth Industrial Revolution (Industry 4.0) presents a significant opportunity for digital transformation in the infrastructure (architecture, engineering, and construction) industry. This sector, traditionally reliant on manual labor, mechanical technology, and traditional business models, has seen limited innovations in productivity compared to many other global industries. However, new digital technologies, particularly InfraTech solutions like drone technology, offer a promising pathway to revolutionize this industry.
What is drone technology?
Drones, also referred to as Unmanned Aircraft Systems (UAS), are autonomously programmed aerial platforms without an onboard pilot that when coupled with sensors and analytical technologies enable the collection and analysis of valuable data. Drones can inspect and provide footage at a greater geospatial scale compared to conventional methods to provide the ‘big picture’ on infrastructure condition, which helps companies make data-backed decisions. Drone inspection techniques can be taken to the next level by integrating digital twins, artificial intelligence (AI), and machine learning to automate the processing and analysis of data.
Integrating drones into the infrastructure lifecycle
Drones are used in a wide variety of infrastructure sectors and projects including transportation, dams, real estate, vertical construction, telecom, electrical installations, irrigation projects, oil rigs, stadiums, ports, and urban city planning. The improved technology has expanded its use in enclosed areas such as warehouses, tunnels, and underground utilities.
The primary uses of drones include surveying, inspections, and data acquisition. Drones collect large amounts of data and can navigate in hard-to-reach areas, giving this technology an edge over human data collection. As part of daily supervision and reporting, drones can be automated to fly preset routes, collect data, and generate reports on construction projects for better coordination. Drones fit into every stage of the infrastructure lifecycle and beyond.
Drones for data collection and analysis
Drones can be integrated with sensor, payloads, AI, and digital twins technology to enable the collection and analysis of a wide array of data that can be utilized by the end user for a variety of purposes.
Light Detection and Ranging (LiDAR) Scanners, Infrared or Thermal Scanners, Distance Sensors, and Radio Frequency Identification (RFID) readers - referred to as payloads - are all examples of technologies that can be integrated with drones. Drone-mounted LiDAR for example, has proven to be powerful in uneven and dense terrain transforming the nature of laser scanning and surveying. While using thermal cameras with drones is useful to detect energy loss in buildings or inspecting solar farms.
In the most basic set up, drones are equipped with cameras for aerial photogrammetry. This process enables the analysis of the data collected by transforming images into 3D models using overlapping photos processed by photogrammetry software like Pix4Dmapper, which can also be used for stockpile measurements, excavation calculations, site coordination, safety monitoring, and progress reporting.
Modern technologies like AI and Digital twins coupled with drones are useful in obtaining and extracting data to provide actionable insights, generating virtual replicas and simulated scenarios to optimize efficiency and decision-making. AI algorithms analyze data collected by drones to detect potential issues and automate construction processes. This combination enhances safety, promotes better coordination, and accelerates project timelines.
New drone airframes are also under development, such as rebar tying drones, which claim to reduce labor costs and improve productivity. Others are creating drones for non-destructive testing (dry-film thickness and ultrasonic thickness), spray painting, and power washing. The sky is seemingly the limit of this ever-evolving technology.
The benefits of adopting drone inspection technologies
Cost, quality, and time are the primary drivers of any construction project. Drone inspections have been proven to enhance all these factors.
The Grassy Sprain Reservoir in Yonkers, New York provides a good case study on how drones can be integrated into the planning of an infrastructure project to reduce cost, time, and improve safety. AI Engineers, Inc (AIE) were engaged to undertake 3D mapping and typographic survey of the 180-acre site to provide contours of the Reservoir’s 4.3-mile-long shoreline and lakebed while the water level was drawn down for work on the dam and spillway.
A drone flew for over 3 hours and captured several thousand 20-megapixel geotagged high-resolution nadir images of the site and ground control points. This data was then processed through photogrammetry software and produced orthomosaics, contours, point clouds, and 2D CAD drawings. Leveraging drone technology reduced the field time and cost by half of what traditional survey techniques would cost. It also improved safety on the site by removing crews from dangerous roadway shoulders, traversing acres of loose lake bedding, and areas where ponding water remained. Additionally, the photogrammetry software automated much of the deliverable processing, which accelerated the office work and further reduced the time to complete this project.
Drone technology can also be used in infrastructure maintenance on existing infrastructure projects. An example of this is a major bridge maintenance project that AIE worked on in New York City. AIE used drones to inspect repairs made to the bridge’s s stay cables, rocket launchers (cable anchors), substructure, and deck underside. No lane closures occurred as the drone operated at a safe distance from traffic when observing both the near and far side cables. The bridge was also under construction with an active jobsite; therefore, the drone needed to navigate construction equipment and personnel, particularly cranes that obstructed the view of certain areas of the structure. Over 1,000 20-megapixel, geotagged, high-resolution photographs and 3 hours of 4K high-definition video were captured during 6 hours of flight. Repairs, structural deficiencies, and other areas of interest were identified and documented in a General Bridge Quality Assurance Inspection Report.
Both case studies highlight the transformative impact of drone technology in streamlining construction processes and maintaining infrastructure integrity.
Actions needed to unlock the potential of drone technology
Drone technology is a highly growing market in the infrastructure sector. However, for the industry to fully leverage its benefits, several factors will play into the success of drones, including investment in people and process. Beginning with people, firms must show their personnel the value this technology will bring to their work and clients. This internal buy-in will ensure drones are a consideration during the project planning phase and become a mainstay within their workflow. Once drones become commonly accepted tools within a firm, upskilling staff will be needed as trained pilots are required to operate the airframes. The reskilling of field staff is more ideal, as this will put the power of this technology directly in the hands of the subject matter experts.
Process improvements will also be necessary. Drone technology allows infrastructure related tasks to be completed more efficiently, timely, and cost effectively as compared to conventional methods. However, this can only be achieved when traditional processes adapt to the requirements of drone operation. Such requirements include rethinking how day-to-day work is completed and how technology integration can expedite the given task and deliver more value to the end user.
Once these benefits are realized, firms need to create streamlined avenues for internal project planning and execution that is conducive to efficient and reasonable implementation of drones as well as understanding how the data collected can be leveraged throughout the firm.
External policy factors, such as federal and local regulatory requirements, also merit attention. Airspace regulations around where drones can operate need to be addressed. Currently, applications to operate in designated controlled airspaces or within busy city confines need to be meticulously completed. In certain circumstances, flight is simply not allowed. Such was the case in New York City (NYC) prior to 2023. This severely hindered drone implementation for the infrastructure industry. Seeing the need to capture the benefits this technology brings, NYC government, police, and NYCDOT collaborated to create a permitting process that granted permission for drone operations within the five boroughs. Since then, drone projects have been prevalent, and the application process continues to evolve in a positive direction to enable the use of this technology to enhance infrastructure development and maintenance.
About the authors:
Dr. Ibrahim Odeh is the founding director of the Global Leaders in Construction Management Department of Civil Engineering and Engineering Mechanics at Columbia University, USA. Ibrahim is also a member of the GI Hub's Academic Advisory Panel.
Michael Giacco is Associate Vice President overseeing New Technology Initiatives at AI Engineers, Inc. (AIE). He has performed numerous UAS operations involving signature bridge structure inspection, construction documentation, emergency response, and survey/mapping.
Tariq Islam is an Associate Vice President overseeing Financial Investments in Technology at AI Engineers (AIE). He works to see that company and its clients see benefit in ROI on its new technology-related ventures.
Kaushal Kedari Pawar, GLCM Research Fellow and Alumni at the Global Leaders in Construction Management, Department of Civil Engineering and Engineering Mechanics at Columbia University, USA.
Vishwa Ashar, GLCM Research Fellow and Alumni at the Global Leaders in Construction Management, Department of Civil Engineering and Engineering Mechanics at Columbia University, USA.
AI Engineers, Inc. (AIE) works with the Global Leaders in Construction Management (GLCM) group at Columbia University. Together, they have explored technological trends such as the use of drones in construction and infrastructure and have jointly hosted as well as attended several industry-wide forums that showcased the latest in artificial intelligence studies as well as AEC technology leaders’ perspectives on digital transformation. AIE is also an active presenter at the construction management program at Columbia University where they share many practical case studies of uses in technology in AEC and the evolution and digitization of construction inspection.