All residential and commercial properties must be inspected to ensure they are safe and comply with current codes. When it’s risky or impractical for someone to access the site, a drone can provide a comprehensive overview, saving time and keeping workers safe by using comprehensive drone inspection techniques.
What is a drone inspection?
A drone inspection involves using a drone’s cameras to examine structures or land. Professionally trained inspectors can use the footage to make visual assessments and finish their reports without putting themselves in precarious situations.What are the benefits of using drones in construction and commercial projects?
Any industry that requires visual inspections can benefit from adding drones to its toolkit. In fact, the drone inspection market is expected to reach a market valuation of $23 billion by 2027 – up nearly 15% from 2022. Some of the unique benefits of drone inspections for real estate and construction projects include the following.More cost-friendly.
Drones can help you avoid costs associated with temporary scaffolding or repelling. According to a 2021 ScienceDirect study, using drones to inspect an offshore wind farm resulted in 70% cost savings compared to traditional rope access inspections. The time savings from using drones also decreased downtime losses by 90%.Save time.
The same Science Direct wind farm study found that drones could cut inspection times by more than half. Where it took human inspectors an average of 15 to 30 minutes to inspect a turbine, the drones could complete the inspection in just under 6 minutes – including their travel time to the boat, which was located around 54 yards away.These time savings can be especially valuable on projects where downtime results in inconveniences or lost revenue, such as bridge or infrastructure inspections. Additionally, you can complete land surveys much faster than on foot with consumer drones that can reach speeds of 30 to 45 mph.
Improve workplace safety
Every time you deploy a drone, you have one less human worker in a dangerous situation. Workers don’t need to climb on rotting roofs or repel down a multi-story building. Instead, the pilot and your crew will remain safely on the ground while your drones are used for inspection. The drone can also access spaces that would be difficult or impractical for people to access, such as the underside of bridges.Drones can also operate in potentially hazardous environments, like those with smoke or high temperatures.
Use imaging sensors
Some drones have thermal imagining or LiDAR (light detection and ranging) sensors. These sensors can provide more definitive data than what you might see with the naked eye. For example, a heat map can help you identify insulation problems or leaks in a roof.LiDAR data can be used to construct 3D models or topographic maps, providing an extra layer of accuracy and a powerful visualization tool.
Up your marketing game
The unique perspectives from a drone inspection can enhance your presentations and give you a competitive edge. Beyond making your inspection reports look nicer, clients love the footage too. The images are ideal for real estate listings since they give buyers a clear understanding of a property’s full scope.What are the best drones for surveying?
While any drone with a high-quality camera can do a basic visual inspection, some models are better equipped for the job than others. Some of our favorite drones for commercial or real estate inspections include the following.DJI Mavic Mini 4 Pro
The Mavic Mini 4 Pro only weighs around half a pound and can easily fit into a small bag for fieldwork. The small frame makes it highly maneuverable and ideal for squeezing into tight spaces during a roof inspection. A roof inspection drone can fly up to 34 minutes on a standard battery.The Mavic Mini Pro doesn’t compromise on quality. It can still capture footage in 4k resolution up to 60 frames-per-second (fps,) giving you the crystal clear picture you need to finish a drone inspection.
Autel Robotics EVO Enterprise series
Autel’s EVO Lite drone line is an alternative to the DJI Mavic Mini. It weighs only around two pounds and can film up to 6k resolution, although it offers only 30 fps. It can achieve up to 40 minutes of flight time on the standard battery, allowing you to stay airborne for longer inspections or surveys.DJI Mavic 3 Enterprise
The Mavic 3 Enterprise models are larger and more powerful than their mini counterparts. They come equipped with 12MP wide-angle cameras and 56x hybrid zoom, allowing you to see vast swaths of land or large structures with ease.Some models also come equipped with thermal imagining sensors, which offer temperature measurement and color-coded images. You can also view both the standard image and the thermal image side-by-side on the drone’s remote control screen.
Do I need a license to inspect with a drone?
Yes. To fly a drone for commercial purposes, the drone pilot needs a part 107 license from the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA.) To get a drone pilot’s license, you’ll need to be at least 16 years old and pass a knowledge exam at an FAA-authorized center. You’ll also need a keen awareness of your area’s no-fly zones and proper permission to fly in certain areas.Passing the test can require considerable effort and study time. Therefore, if you only need a drone for a one-time project or inspection, hiring a third-party, licensed drone pilot may be a more time and cost-effective option.
A Rhode Island drone pilot for your drone inspections
If you need a drone flyover to complete a real estate or drone construction inspection, McVeigh Media is ready for takeoff.As licensed drone pilots with over 15 years of experience, we understand how to fly drones safely and efficiently and can get you the clear, high-quality footage you need to complete your infrastructure or construction inspection. You can also use the footage to improve your online presence and marketing, so you can build a stronger business going forward.
Contact us today to learn more and book your flyover.
Posted by Sean McVeigh
