"Drones can quickly capture a construction site's current state, allowing project teams to identify issues, measure volumes and optimize workflows, which can significantly reduce costs and delays."
-Samantha Burns, head of marketing at TraceAir
IRONPROS: Why should construction businesses use drones for site analysis and inspections?
Burns: Using drones, construction businesses can obtain precise, up-to-date topographical data for accurate planning and progress tracking. Drones can quickly capture a construction site's current state, allowing project teams to identify issues, measure volumes and optimize workflows, which can significantly reduce costs and delays.
With TraceAir, construction teams can access this data in 24 hours without needing to buy a drone, hire a pilot, or coordinate a pilot to fly their site.
IRONPROS: What makes drones better than traditional methods of site analysis and surveying?
Burns: Drones excel over traditional site analysis and surveying methods due to their speed, accuracy and comprehensive data capture capabilities. Traditional site analysis often involves time-consuming manual measurements and periodic updates, which can lead to outdated information and missed discrepancies. In contrast, drones can perform regular, automated flights over the site, capturing high-resolution imagery and generating detailed 3D models.
This real-time data allows project managers to monitor progress, detect deviations from plans promptly and adjust operations as needed, minimizing costly errors and delays.
IRONPROS: For businesses that want to start using drones, how should they prepare for such services and operations?
Burns: Transitioning to drone-based site analysis requires careful planning and preparation. Construction businesses should begin by identifying their specific project needs and goals for adopting drone technology. Selecting a reputable drone service provider like TraceAir that offers comprehensive solutions, including drone deployment, flight marker placement, data processing and analytics, is essential.
Adequate training for on-site personnel to interpret drone data and integrate it into decision-making processes is crucial. Additionally, ensuring compliance with local regulations and obtaining necessary permits for drone operations are essential steps to successfully integrating drones into construction workflows.
IRONPROS: What types of drones are used for construction site analysis?
Burns: TraceAir utilizes advanced multi-rotor drones that capture 3D data using photogrammetry or LiDAR (Light Detection and Ranging) sensors for construction site analysis. These drones can capture detailed aerial imagery, generate accurate topographic maps and detect subtle changes in site conditions over time. LiDAR technology enhances the precision of terrain modeling by measuring distances with laser pulses, providing construction teams with precise elevation data and volumetric calculations critical for earthwork planning and management.
IRONPROS: Please provide an overview of TraceAir and its mission.
Burns: TraceAir is a land development platform that leverages drone technology to measure, verify and quantify progress on construction sites. Our mission is to accelerate construction processes, particularly site work, by providing accurate and timely data to the entire project team, including owners, contractors, consultants and engineers.
This enables better decision-making and reduces risks during the critical land development stage, keeping projects on schedule and within budget.
IRONPROS: What can customers expect from TraceAir in 2024?
Burns: In 2024, TraceAir is poised to introduce significant advancements and new developments in its service offerings. Customers can anticipate enhanced capabilities in data analytics and visualization tools to improve project monitoring and decision-making.
Collaborations with industry partners and ongoing research into new technologies, such as AI-powered analytics and automated site planning tools, are also on the horizon. These initiatives aim to streamline construction processes further, reduce costs and accelerate project timelines to help customers maximize the value of TraceAir's platform.
