5 Ways Drone Technology Is Elevating Commercial Development

Drone technology has the power to transform commercial development. These little aircrafts can do everything from collecting data and mapping job sites to deliver real-time information.

According to Insider Intelligence, construction is one of the top growth industries for drone adoption, and it is predicted to become a $28.3 billion market. Here are the top five ways drones are revolutionizing commercial development, all with only a 15-minute flight.  

Site Inspection

Using high-performance cameras and mapping technology, drones can give developers a detailed visualization of a construction site. During the pandemic, virtual site visits with drones became a standard for developers to continue normal operations while complying with social distancing guidelines, but the technology has far more significant applications. 

Drones can provide 2D and 3D imaging, create aerial maps, take measurements and give context to the project within the surrounding community. The result often offers developers a better impression of a land site than an in-person visit, even when business travel makes a comeback. 

Pre-construction Planning

Drones can do more than give developers a better visual of a construction site. They can analyze the topography and soil type of a land site, eliminating the need for land surveyors. Drones can also deliver crucial data about land quality to help prepare a construction project for ground breaking. 

The data can pinpoint the presence of floodplains and site drainage, changes in elevation and areas with limited or no accessibility. Contractors can use this information to better strategize ground breaking and materials storage. Drones can also provide insight into utility locations and provide utility mapping for future use.

Architecture and Design Planning

Leveraging the topography reports from the pre-planning phases, architects can design buildings tailored to the land site. The technology can be paired with BIM software to create 3D development models that architects can overlay on the job site. This function gives the developer, contractor and other property stakeholders better context and facilitates a more collaborative design process that can ultimately curb complications once construction begins. It’s a game-changer for architecture and design. 

Real Time Construction Progress

The construction industry is notorious for running behind schedule. Drones can track construction progress through targeted site visits that deliver real-time updates to developers to confirm that the project is hitting construction benchmarks and milestones. 

Developers can follow the process—which lasts years in the commercial industry—without ever stepping foot on the job site. Likewise, contractors can monitor materials deliveries and worker progress to ensure the project stays on course. 

Expansion Opportunities

Using drone aerial coverage, developers can stay apprised of available adjacent land sites, new access points to the property or changes in surrounding communities. The technology is especially valuable on redevelopment projects or for existing owners of dated properties that want to upgrade. Real estate users are also finding value in using drones to scout new locations for expansion, view build-to-suit opportunities or manage tenant-build-outs.  

Construction inefficiency is a major problem in commercial real estate, but technology is helping to streamline the process and save developers and project managers time and money. 

Drones are a great example of how technology is revolutionizing the industry, and data and analytics software, like Northspyre, is another. Northspyre is looking to save companies like yours money on each project due to added efficiencies and data tracking. 

Developers are finding power—and profits—by investing in new technology.