The construction industry sees its fair share of workplace accidents annually. According to OSHA, one in five work-related deaths are in construction. A large portion of construction site injuries and fatalities are linked to falling; a continued approach to reducing falls could mean 300 lives saved yearly.

Drones have been contributing to the safety of workers in the construction industry by averting workplace accidents involving falls, electrocution and falling objects. There are strict government laws regarding construction site inspection, and this sometimes can take days. However, with a drone, the inspection can be completed within an hour. Surveying the area to assess any risks such as low hanging wires, or heavy objects that might drop with a drone is effective for both safety and time management.

Construction site progression can also benefit from drone assistance. Once again, less time is needed for workers to document progress manually. Drones will take real images and video footage of the construction site, which can be converted to 3D to compare to previous data. Drone surveying and aerial mapping can produce accurate results and measurements with a single flight.

Drones as effective security guards

Using drone technology can also save a lot of money when used for security purposes. Construction site theft is a huge issue on a national level, with almost a billion dollars in lumber, power tools, copper and appliances taken when the site is unmanned. Motion sensing drones with night vision can alert security when needed. A large benefit is that a drone can access hard-to-reach areas quickly.

A previous survey published by PwC estimated the use of unmanned aerial vehicles in construction and mining industries to grow substantially, eventually reaching almost $30 billion for the global market.