See discussions, stats, and author profiles for this publication at: https://www.researchgate.

net/publication/357467528

Using drone technologies for construction project management: A narrative

review

Article · December 2021

DOI: 10.31462/jcemi.2021.04229244

CITATIONS READS

6 3,270

3 authors, including:

Serkan Yıldız Serkan Kivrak

Anadolu University Eskişehir Technical University
32 PUBLICATIONS 185 CITATIONS 48 PUBLICATIONS 883 CITATIONS

SEE PROFILE SEE PROFILE

All content following this page was uploaded by Serkan Yıldız on 14 April 2022.

The user has requested enhancement of the downloaded file.

Journal of Construction Engineering, Management & Innovation
2021 Volume 4 Issue 4 Pages 229-244
https://doi.org/10.31462/jcemi.2021.04229244
www.goldenlightpublish.com

REVIEW ARTICLE

Using drone technologies for construction project management: A

narrative review

Serkan Yıldız 1 , Serkan Kıvrak *1 , Gökhan Arslan 2

1
Eskişehir Technical University, Department of Civil Engineering, Eskişehir, Turkey
2
Yalova University, Department of Civil Engineering, Yalova, Turkey

Abstract
The construction sector is one of the sectors where productivity is low compared to other production sectors.
Studies have shown that drone technologies can increase productivity in construction. Thus, the use of drones
in construction sites has increased in recent years, especially in developed countries. Although drones are
technical aerial vehicles, this study focused on non-technical aspects of the use of drone technologies such
as current and possible usage areas, advantages and disadvantages of using a drone, issues that should be
considered while procuring a drone for a construction site and legal regulations related to the use of drones.
In this context, a narrative literature review was conducted and articles examining the use of drones in
construction sites were investigated. In addition to the studies in the literature, practical applications were
also discussed. The study indicated that drones might make significant contributions to construction
management activities. It is expected that this study serves to increase the use of drone technology in
construction project management by introducing it in a comprehensive way to the stakeholders.
Keywords
Construction site; Construction management; Drone; Technology; Unmanned aerial vehicle
Received: 04 October 2021; Accepted: 08 November 2021
ISSN: 2630-5771 (online) © 2021 Golden Light Publishing All rights reserved.

1. Introduction drones has become very popular. The drone market

A drone is a recognizable aircraft that has a compact was estimated to be 11.3 billion USD in 2016, and
design but is variable in size. Besides images such it is expected to grow to more than 140 billion USD
as video footage and photographs, drones also in the next ten years [2]. Civilian drones can be
collect other data and footage to feed directly into divided into four main types: multi-copters,
other software, such as mapping. There is no pilot airships, fixed-wing UAVs and rotary blade UAVs
or passenger in a drone, and they are either remotely [3]. Their design and usage create the main
controlled through computer-aided flight routes difference between them. With its aircraft-like
with the sensors or autonomously [1]. Thus, they design, fixed-wing drones can glide along
are often called UAVs (unmanned aerial vehicles) established routes and reach higher altitudes,
or UASs (unmanned aerial systems). There has thereby effectively drawing topographic maps and
been a tremendous improvement in drone measuring longer distances. However, fixed drones
technology in recent years, and civilian use of can only fly forward. Rotary drones are a better

*
Corresponding author
Email: [email protected]
Using drone technologies for construction project management: A narrative review 230

option for aerial inspection and close-up

photography because they are easy to control, and
their rotor design allows them to float and remain
stable [4].
Some of the significant benefits of drone
technology include [5]:
 Reduced processing and analysis times
 Lower risk and therefore lower costs
 More precise digital data for more accurate
readings
 Easily accessible via cloud-based integration Fig. 1. Growth in the usage of drones in different
 More continuous monitoring of jobsite progress industries in 2017 [7]
Typical commercial construction projects are
80% over budget and 20 months behind schedule. Additionally, advancements in sensors, batteries,
Industry leaders are deploying new technologies, and autonomous functions have made drones a
such as drones, to reduce costs, increase efficiency more reliable construction application platform.
in the field, maximize profit potential, and reduce Today's commercial drones can be equipped with a
the impact and waste of every project [5]. The wide variety of sensors, which automatically
rapidly growing drone market has spurred the navigate and collect data and transmit them to a
expansion of its application in various economic control station in real-time [8].
sectors, including construction. A report shows that In particular, the benefits of drone technology
drone technology is expected in the UK to increase have completely changed the entire project life
the gross domestic product (GDP) of the cycle from the start of the project to the end of the
construction and industrial sectors by £8.6 billion project. Photos, videos, and imagery obtained
through innovations, productivity and profitability through drones are manipulated to analyze projects,
by 2030 [6]. track construction progress, and provide real-time
In recent years, drones have become one of the updates. The growth of the industry and the
most intriguing trends in the construction sector. A complex nature of construction projects will result
239% growth, which is higher than any other in an increase in the usage of drones in construction
commercial sector, has been experienced in using soon [4].
drones in the construction sector (Fig. 1). Their In particular, drones affected the construction
aerial vantage point and data collection capabilities industry by [5]:
made them viable tools, offering benefits ranging  Helping to better monitoring of construction
from on-site security to remote monitoring [7]. sites
Over the past few years, researchers have explored  Calculating the volume of stockpile and types of
various drone applications in the construction materials for inventory
industry, including site and safety inspection,  Calculating lengths, widths and elevations of
progress monitoring, damage assessment, and roads and structures
building maintenance [4-7]. Small, inexpensive,  Annotating images and maps for easier
remotely controllable commercial drones are communication
advantageous since they can enter spaces  Calculating overload for an effective removal
inaccessible to personnel or manned aircraft and planning
handle certain construction tasks in less time and at This study reviewed the literature on the usage
a lower cost. The new generation of drones also of drone technologies in the construction industry.
requires minimal human involvement, which can Current and possible usage areas of drones,
reduce risks in the workplace. advantages and disadvantages of adopting drone
231 Yıldız et al.

technology, factors to be considered while selecting unique to systematic reviews, such as reporting
drones, and legal regulations related to drone methods, databases used, and inclusion and
technology were investigated. This study expected exclusion criteria [11,12]. This method was
to introduce this technology, which is not widely preferred because this study aimed to examine
used in the construction industry in Turkey, to the generally the effect of drone technology on
stakeholders in a comprehensive way and to serve construction management. While narrative reviews
the increase of the usage of drone technologies in do not aim to seek answers for specific quantitative
construction. research questions [12]. This study aimed to answer
the following general questions.
2. Research method RQ1: What are the application areas of drones in
Although there are some review articles in the construction project management?
literature on the use of drones in the construction RQ2: What are the advantages and disadvantages
industry, the researched topics were different from of using drones in construction project
each other since the subject covers a very wide area. management?
For example, besides the applications of UAS in RQ3: What are the issues to be considered while
construction, Zhou and Gheisari [8] examined UAS procuring drones for a construction site?
types, on-board sensors in UAS, and styles of UAS RQ4: What are the regulations related to the use of
control applications. Similarly, Albeaino et al. [9] drones?
also investigated the technological components
2.2. Literature search and selection of the articles
(flying styles, types of platforms, on-board
sensors). In contrast, Dastgheibifard and Asnafi The literature on the subject was researched by
[10] only explored the application areas of drones using the keywords "Drone," "UAV," "UAS," and
in the construction industry. Unlike other studies in "construction sector" on the Web of Science. Since
the literature, this study investigated all aspects of drone technology is a new technology and most of
the use of drones in the construction sector, from the studies have already been carried out in the last
the advantages and disadvantages to the relevant ten years, no date restrictions have been made
legislation, except their technical specifications. In during the research. The articles were examined
this way, this study aimed to provide stakeholders primarily through their titles and abstracts. Where
with a holistic perspective on using drones in the necessary, the full texts of the articles were also
construction sector. examined, and more than 50 articles were examined
in this study. In addition to the academic articles
2.1. Methodology and references of these articles, internet resources
Literature reviews, which are in different types such containing up-to-date information were also used
as narrative or integrative reviews, systematic within the context of the study.
reviews, and meta-analysis, are the systematic ways
of collecting and synthesizing previous researches. 3. Application areas of drones in construction
project management
An effective and well-conducted literature review
could create a firm foundation for advancing Drones have brought about many changes in the
knowledge. In this study, a literature review was construction industry. Over the past few years,
conducted according to the narrative or integrative drones have improved many things in construction,
reviews. Narrative reviews are discussions of from increasing reporting accuracy to improving
important topics from a theoretical and contextual safety conditions, reducing costs, and increasing
point of view, and they are usually used to get an efficiency [13]. This part of the study presents a
overview of a topic. Compared with systematic wide range of drone applications in construction
reviews, they use less formal methods because they sites.
do not need to introduce more rigorous aspects
Using drone technologies for construction project management: A narrative review 232

3.1. Use of drones in the planning stage created a high-resolution two-dimensional map of a
Consulting topographic maps is a necessary job road construction site using video obtained by
when planning large and complex construction drone, and they concluded that drones could
works. They can reveal costly mistakes in designs quickly collect multiple images and videos from
that are not suitable for the terrain. While many different angles. Hudzietz and Saripalli [19]
topographic maps are useful, they are expensive used a drone-mounted camera to collect two-
and take a long time to produce. For this reason, the dimensional terrain images and converted the
map is not always updated at the start of the job. terrain image to a 3D model. Their study indicated
Due to their ability to map large land areas, drones that this method could be implemented in a cost and
can dramatically reduce the time it takes to view the time-efficient manner and was very useful for
topography of a site [4]. Drones are rapidly generating large-scale models. The study in which
replacing traditional methods of ground Siebert and Teizer [20] used drones for the rapid
surveillance since they significantly reduce the and autonomous collection of mobile 3D map data
labor and time required to produce accurate in large excavation and earthwork sites concluded
readings. Drones eliminate much of the human that drones can offer lower costs, better
error involved in the process and can collect the accessibility and a wider field of view.
required data in much less time than traditional
3.2. Progress monitoring
methods. Drones integrate the reality of the site into
models during the design phase. Their main task is Construction projects often involve lots of activities
to digitize the landscape of the place in 3D, whether that happen over a large area at the same time.
in the design or construction stages. During the Visual information is the only way to monitor the
design phase, the objective is to integrate the site activities continuing on the site. For project
landscape into the modeling software. Thus, the managers, one of the hardest things to maintain on
landscape reality can be taken into account [8-10]. a construction site is real-time project control,
This situation would serve the projects staying on which requires real-time data. Typically, data is
schedule and budget and ensuring accuracy before collected manually by construction workers by
a project is initiated. Submission of this information walking on a construction site. However, this is a
can help to determine the feasibility and to aid laborious and slow process that makes it impossible
design. In addition, the high-resolution images for companies to react quickly to changes on the
generated by the drones can be manipulated into 3D construction site. For example, certain events such
models, allowing precise identification of pre- as heavy rains, hurricanes, or accidents could
structural challenges and detection of range errors, considerably change the site, requiring reacting as
saving time and money in the long run [4]. quickly as possible and collecting new data.
Neitzel and Klonowski [14] used drones to Missing a potential problem on the site, even for a
inspect a parking lot and landfill site, and they few days while waiting for a new manually
found that drones can reduce the operating costs generated report, can cause significant setbacks that
related to mapping and surveying on site. Jizhou et may result in project time and budget overruns.
al. [15] developed a method that collects surface On the other hand, a 15-minute flight of a drone
geometry and texture data to create 3D models could create more data that a construction worker
based on a single image and a 2D geographic will collect with a half-day walk [13]. Another
information system (GIS) database. A circular problem is that site progress reports often collected
flight path was used by Eisenbeiß [16] to collect weekly or daily, may lack objectivity or contain
terrestrial and drone-based images and to develop a errors [21]. Construction workers may sometimes
3D model of a castle. Barazzetti et al. [17] be required to work in unsafe environments [20].
introduced a method that processes close-up images Drones can provide images of entire sites and
automatically to create 3D models. Bang et al. [18] enable more precise measurements than
233 Yıldız et al.

assumptions [20,22]. The data collected by the data collected means that currently, the processing
drone will be complete and accurate because the time remains a practical challenge that may be
drone can record visual images continuously during partly tackled by various filtering methods [24].
the flight. These images can then be processed The monitoring framework developed by Lin et
automatically using software created for this al. [25] could superimpose BIM models onto site
purpose in several types of maps of the entire site images captured by drone. Freimuth et al. [26]
[13]. developed autonomous drone monitoring by
Another advantage of using a drone is that the defining object boundaries in geo-referenced BIM.
impressive aerial view created by the drone can Irizarry and Costa [27] evaluated the effectiveness
give the client a sense of the progress of the project. of drone-assisted progress monitoring by using a
This situation gives them confidence that their survey approach. According to Lin et al. [25], the
spending is being used effectively. In addition to advantages of using drones for following up the
this, drones can improve the internal collaboration progress were lower cost, better accessibility and
of the team working on site. During a flight, the broader field-of-view. Similarly, Karan et al. [28]
drone can send information to the software, and pointed out that monitoring tasks were performed in
designers, engineers, construction managers, less time, at lower cost and with fewer risks through
workers, and owners can access data utilizing drone technology. The framework named
simultaneously, monitor the project, and detect any D4R [29,30] has a user-friendly tool gathering site
errors that may have occurred [4]. In short, information into a 4D BIM, and the framework has
following up the progress on the site becomes fast, been implemented in the Flying Superintendents
easy and cheap through the utilization of drones. project [31]. In this project, the whole construction
They also facilitate the exchange of information process of the Sacramento Stadium was monitored
between construction companies and their by a flying drone.
customers, promoting overall efficiency and
communication [6]. 3.3. Occupational health and safety
Producing 3D models is also a commonly Even lots of improvements, construction continues
discussed method of increasing the reliability and to be one of the most dangerous industries in terms
accuracy of progress assessments [20,22]. of occupational safety. In particular, falls are among
Comparing as-planned Building Information the important causes of death among construction
Models (BIM) with as-built models can help project workers. There are places on the construction site
managers determine if specific milestones have or that are too dangerous for one person to enter.
have not been reached, and to what magnitude of Nevertheless, a construction drone can fly over and
difference, at each location [20,23]; to show record everything that happened in a hazardous
progression and when materials or additional area, providing vital information that will help
resources will be required (potentially improving determine how to proceed. Likewise, workers often
cost-efficiency) [20,24]. have to climb to unstable heights and work in
Siebert and Teizer [20] compared UAV and unsafe conditions when taking manual
Robotic Total Station (RTS) data for three earth measurements. Drones can replace workers in these
piles using elevation maps generated using points situations and reduce the risks construction workers
taken from both devices (UAV giving a much larger face in the field.
number of measurement points than RTS). The Safety managers use drones with high-
surveyed volumes for the three earth piles ranged resolution cameras to monitor the workers' safety
from 8 to 16% [20], indicating that the UAV could compliance. Drones can be used to collect any
achieve a comparable result using more traditional information related to safety from various angles.
methods. Aerial robots can supply many Some of them are visual inspection of the use of
overlapping images; however, the vast volume of hardhats and personal protective equipment,
Using drone technologies for construction project management: A narrative review 234

monitoring ongoing operations to prevent hazards, the French drone provider Redbird are competing to
monitoring the situation of workers in the project develop these integrated automation solutions [36].
site, location and orientation of construction
equipment. Drones help safety managers to be 3.4. Infrastructure monitoring and photographing
aware of unsafe situations/locations of the project. Monitoring existing infrastructure is vital in
Drones may immediately alert the relevant determining whether it is safe to continue using
personnel about the accidents and find out the them, especially in extreme events [37, 38]. For
accident location and injured workers. Only in such example, field engineers and technicians conduct
a case could a safety manager provide immediate regularly scheduled routine inspections of highway
feedback and contact the workers [32]. bridges or railways to determine the suitability of
Irizarry et al. [33] used an aerial drone quadrotor their physical and functional conditions to continue
helicopter flying all around the construction site and to use. The most widely used method in regular
supplied the safety managers with real-time data infrastructure inspections is visual inspection
about what is happening. Irizarry and Costa [27] [39,40]. Visual inspection data could be unreliable
assessed the feasibility of using drones in safety since the results are based on the inspector’s own
inspection through interviews with project judgment and experience [13,37,41,42]. On the
personnel. De Melo et al. [34] evaluated the other hand, cracks observed visually on the surface
applicability of inspecting challenges related to of structures are often considered a warning of a
safety using drones in two residential projects in failure [43], but it is difficult to detect them with the
Brazil. They found that detailed information about naked eye during inspections [37,44].
safety conditions on the field could be collected Another problem experienced during
using drones; thus, safety inspection could be inspections is the generated safety risks. Inspectors
improved. In a similar study conducted by Irizarry generally need machinery or scaffolding to inspect
et al. [33], a safety check was applied whether the areas where access is limited [42] and/or hazardous
construction workers use their hardhats or not. They like high-voltage railway cables [45]. Besides
found that the construction site could be monitored auxiliary costs and traffic disruption, this situation
easily and directly with drones having video creates a health and safety risk [37, 40, 46]. Drones
cameras and transmitting apparatuses, and thus an can provide a good inspection without a need for
immediate interaction with construction workers heavy machinery and bulky scaffolding. The
and safety personnel could be provided. However, stability of structures could be checked by a drone
they noted that using drones for safety inspection flying around them and taking high-resolution
had some challenges, such as the distraction that images for analysis. Thermal sensors can be used to
occurred during the flights and new safety hazards detect heat leaks, cold spots, and any electrical
introduced by flying drones. issues. Inspections that require an entire team of
In the study of Gheisari and Esmaeilli [35], surveyors to work lots of hours could be completed
safety managers considered that drones were most in a few hours with a drone operator [4].
helpful for monitoring employees who work near In short, using drones in infrastructure
vehicles or cranes with booms and close to edges or inspection is very beneficial since it reduces safety
openings without protective barriers and for risks, environmental impact, facility downtime, and
assisting the workers operating in equipment with overall maintenance costs. Costs can be reduced
blind spots. Driverless construction equipment since the need for expensive equipment like
reduces the number of people working on the site, helicopters will be eliminated. Safety can be
thus the accidents. Drones may be used as the eyes improved by limiting the number of dangerous jobs
of driverless dozers. The Japanese equipment (performed today by, e.g., rope inspectors) and
provider Komatsu and the American drone thereby protecting or even saving lives. And third,
specialist Skycatch and Caterpillar associated with the environmental impact is reduced since the use
235 Yıldız et al.

of drones means less CO2 emission than the use of, 3.5. Damage detection
e.g., a helicopter. One of the uses of drones is damage detection.
There are several studies in the literature on the Drones meet the needs for rapid response, access to
use of drones in infrastructure monitoring and difficult areas, and on-site information [59]. After a
taking images. The project of Metni and Hamel [47] disaster, areas where it may be dangerous for
aimed to use drones in bridge inspection and traffic human inspectors to venture, such as flooded areas,
surveillance. Rathinam et al. [48] proposed a buildings damaged by an earthquake, places of
learning algorithm that minimizes human potential radiation leakage, and buildings on fire,
supervision for drone operations, thus reducing can be accessed with drones. In these cases,
costs and labor requirements. The study conducted measurements and data that cannot be obtained with
by Eschmann et al. [49] indicated that drones could more conventional means could be obtained using
collect data from hard-to-access areas, and the drones. Drones can rapidly acquire aerial imagery,
quality of damage detection, damage evaluation and which can be used to update hazard maps [60, 61].
restoration planning could be improved. Huang et After a disaster, human teams on the ground can be
al. [50] developed an algorithm for detecting the hampered by dangerous obstacles, which can be
number and the location of cracks on masonry avoided with drones [62]. Drones can be used to
surfaces by utilizing images collected by drones. inspect individual bridges and structures quickly,
Wang et al. [51] utilized drones for detecting faults and the most severely affected access routes and
on power line corridors. Ellenberg et al. [52] areas can be determined easily with drones. This
showed that measurements would be far more provides more effective coordination of rescue
quantitative when drones are utilized in efforts [61, 63]. Drones are efficient and low-cost
infrastructure inspection. The study, in which data collection tools for assessing flood impact;
Nakagawa et al. [53] utilized drones for inspection thus, allocating resources and assistance becomes
of a sediment-retarding basin that consisted of more effective [64]. Drones are also used for
dikes, bridges and debris barriers, concluded that monitoring and inspecting buildings in case of fires
drone is more effective than ground-based [65]. For example, the structural condition of
scanning. London's Grenfell Tower was assessed with drone
An autonomous drone Structural Health images before allowing firefighters to enter the
Monitoring (SHM) system introduced by Kang and building [66]. In March 2011, an earthquake
Cha [54] was used for crack detection in concrete followed by a tsunami occurred in Fukushima,
and coupled with deep learning techniques. Japan. The disaster damaged nuclear facilities, and
Banaszek et al. [55] utilized drones to collect data the area had to be evacuated, making
on various urban structures. Zhang and Elaksher reconnaissance extremely difficult [63, 67].
[56] showed that drones could collect images faster, However, surveillance of the facility by drones was
safer, and economical than satellites and manned possible and, through additional sensors, drones
aircraft in measuring surface distresses of unpaved could also collect information on emitted radiation
roads. Drones have also been used in issues related without endangering humans [59].
to geotechnical such as geotechnical structure In the literature, there are studies on the use of
conditions, slope stability assessment, bank erosion drones in damage detection. Ezequiel et al. [68]
monitoring, and lateral scour conditions [57, 58]. studied the use of drones to inspect structural
Digital Image Correlation has also been used to damages, damages to crops and vegetation, and the
inspect concrete bridges using images obtained management of water resources after a disaster.
from UAVs [37]. Bolourian and Hammad [41] used Pratt et al. [69] used a tethered drone to assess the
drone-mounted light detection and ranging damages of a collapsed parking garage since it was
(LiDAR) scanning equipment to inspect bridge impossible to access the best viewing positions with
defects. manned helicopters. They cause dust, which
Using drone technologies for construction project management: A narrative review 236

prevents the identification of key features of the traffic. Besides these, traffic surveillance, traffic
damages. In the study of Michael et al. [70], UAVs simulation, avalanche control and aerial assessment
and ground robots were used to map the layout of of road surface condition are some other issues in
an earthquake-damaged building, and the terms of traffic. Traffic surveillance is monitoring
conclusion is that aerial robots can maneuver and the vehicles in the transportation network. The
collect data from strategic points that ground robots utilization of drones carrying a video camera and
cannot reach; thus, they were well-suited for communication sensors provides an opportunity for
observation and inspection duties. Yamamoto et al. "bird's eye view" at a low cost. Data obtained easily
[61] used drones to evaluate collapsed areas of through drones could be used to give quick
slopes and river revetments. Drones were used by responses for transportation operations. Compared
Kerr et al. [71] to collect data on the damage that to traditional traffic monitoring systems, drones
occurred on the roof and exterior walls of selected have the advantage of moving at higher speeds and
buildings. They concluded that drone-assisted covering large areas. Coifman et al. [74] did four
measurement was more controllable and flexible field experiments for intersection movements,
than pictographic measurement systems and network paths, freeway conditions, and parking lot
required lower costs. monitoring to reveal the benefits of using drones in
traffic surveillance. In the literature, there are also
3.6. Other application areas of drones other studies investigating different aspects of
drone using in traffic surveillance and indicating its
3.6.1. Maintenance of construction sites
usefulness [25, 75].
Within the scope of maintenance of construction Traffic simulation is used to develop models for
sites with drones, various activities such as material improving traffic control and doing plan, design
delivery, creating three-dimensional models of and operation of transportation systems better.
structures and measuring volumes can be listed. According to the simulation results, future traffic
Drones can be used in aerial deliveries of demand prediction, signal timing optimization, and
equipment, materials and notices. Drones are lane configuration change are some realized issues.
generally small and have high maneuver capability; Puri et al. [76] proposed to benefit from drone
thus, they may be fast and safer alternatives to site technology to collect real-time data and use this
vehicles in delivering equipment and materials in data to generate statistical profiles to improve
many cases. This will also make the site safer as one traffic prediction. Currently, avalanche control
of the primary causes of fatalities on construction involves the use of military equipment, explosives,
sites is being struck by a moving vehicle. Feifei et skiers, and occasionally helicopters. It was studied
al. [71] developed three-dimensional building at Washington University whether drones could be
models by using images that were taken by drones. used as a less expensive and safer option for
Since observing the whole three-dimensional scene triggering avalanches than using explosives [77].
and capturing images of the building from different The development of good repair and maintenance
perspectives is easy with drones, Wefelscheid et al. strategies is necessary to preserve the continuity of
[72] used drone images to develop building models. the transportation network, which requires the
Tomita et al. [73] utilized drones to measure the air assessment of road surface distress. Zhang and
volume of indoor spaces and stated that higher Elaksher [56] developed an innovative drone-based
productivity, lower cost, and better accessibility digital imaging system for aerial assessment of the
were possible with drones. surface condition of rural roads.
3.6.2. Issues related to traffic 3.6.3. Enhancing construction site security
Drones can also be used in traffic operations. Drone surveys may also help to enhance overall
Monitoring structures and inspection of bridges security in construction sites. Prevention of
mentioned earlier are also important in terms of
237 Yıldız et al.

trespasses and thefts; detection of overheating and  It helps to more effectively control whether
fire risks by taking thermal images with additional occupational health and safety rules are
equipment, especially during non-working hours; followed on the site.
and audit trails in case of on-site maintenance and  In general, it contributes to making site
security problems are some issues that could be management more effective and efficient by
solved with the use of drones [6]. Compared to enabling easier and more effective monitoring
static cameras, which are expensive and should be of the operation at the construction site and by
installed manually, drones can monitor people helping to produce data that is difficult and
entering and leaving the construction site more expensive to obtain with classical methods.
effectively [78]. According to Capterra, the value of  The use of drones helps the company to
the things stolen from construction sites every year differentiate and become more competitive with
is more than $ 300 million, and only 25% of them the advantages it provides.
can be recovered [4]. Therefore, providing
equipment security is a crucial part of construction 4.2. Disadvantages or barriers of using drones
management. A drone survey can quickly and Besides the advantages of using drones, there are
easily show if the equipment is safe enough and also some challenges to be known in order to use
unauthorized persons on the site. This situation them effectively for construction [79-83]:
provides the prevention of damages or thefts.  Although it depends on their features and the
equipment they carry, the initial costs of drones
4. Advantages and disadvantages or barriers of are high. The cost of drones ranges from
using drones US$2,500 for a kit equipped with a small drone
with a 20-megapixel camera to US$10,000 to
4.1. Advantages of using drones
US$15,000 for an industrial drone capable of
The advantages of drones over traditional methods, generating the type of data required by the
which cause them to be used in the listed areas, are contractor. Prices of those carrying LiDAR
as follows [5, 7, 79]. sensors ranges from US$75,000 to US$100,000
 Drones provide the customer with visual data  Low battery life is another challenge, such that
and additional information about the current the flight time of most drones is fewer than 30
state of the building, allowing the customer to min and this restricts operations.
better manage and maintain the property after  Using the hardware and software is complex
receiving it. Potential conflicts also get easier to resulting in additional training and costs.
resolve. Generally, analysis of the data collected by
 Project owners and all other stakeholders can drones should be done by drone service
monitor the progress of the work much more providers.
easily.  Perceiving accuracy levels and tolerances false
 Drones provide the opportunity to save money may cause errors and accidents.
thanks to the easy monitoring of the field. These  There are stringent regulations with the use of
cover many issues such as reducing the need for drones, and this increases the costs. A
time-consuming and manpower-requiring significant amount of money should be paid by
monitoring activities, reducing the costs of contractors in order to receive an authorization
occupational accidents by increasing certificate to use the drones for construction.
occupational safety, identifying idle employees,  The main danger created due to the use of
preventing theft, and better visualizing the drones is falling drones from heights. This may
quality of work. be due to reckless or amateur control, battery
exhaustion, damage caused by weather
conditions and obstacles like trees, buildings,
Using drone technologies for construction project management: A narrative review 238

power cable. The fall of drones may result in  Portability: If the drone needs to be used in
personal injury and property damage, thereby different construction sites and therefore needs
creating liability. Better insurance is required to to be transported continuously, it would be
help cover these risks and minimize the losses appropriate to choose a lighter drone that can be
caused by accidents, but this means additional folded down and reduced in size.
costs.  Endurance: Since the construction site is an
 The flights attract the attention of workers, and environment where dirt and dust are intense, the
this may cause the disturbance of their work drone must be resistant to these conditions, wear
since they tend to stop working to watch the and tear.
drones flying. This situation may be prevented  Stability: The wind speed resistance of a drone
if sufficient training and knowledge are and its stability when operating in harsh weather
provided. conditions with a lot of air movement or rain are
 When homes and commercial buildings border extremely important. For this reason, to obtain
a construction site, drones may be able to record the desired efficiency and high-quality image
video or photos of private properties, which from the drone, a drone equipped to operate
means the violation of the privacy of under these conditions should be selected.
surrounding residents.  Ease of Use: Issues such as whether the drone
needs mounting, its charge status and the need
5. Issues to consider while procuring drones for for a modular camera should be carefully
construction sites evaluated. It should be noted that some drones
Following aspects need to be considered when are easier to set up and operate than others.
deciding what type of drone to use on-site [11, 27]:
 Performance: Performance is the most basic 6. Regulations related to using drones
element to be considered in drone procurement, Drones are becoming common on construction
according to various factors such as the purpose sites, so contractors need to understand current
of use and the characteristics of the construction drone regulations, potential risks, and best practices
site. Battery life, flight capability of the drone, to avoid accidents and claims. Operating drones can
properties of the camera, connection with bring risks, so certain laws are necessary [23]. On
control devices are some of the issues that the other hand, the use of drones in terms of ethics
should be considered under this title. Battery life and privacy can threaten civil liberties, although
is important since the current flight time with safety requirements are the top priority of the
one battery is around 20 minutes, which regulations [84].
sometimes does not meet the needs. Flight Regulations intend to ensure that drone
capability is critical in relatively difficult operators are experienced and properly trained and
flights. The resolution of the camera is the equipment is certified and properly insured.
important, as some features and software UAV operators must prove their ability to fly the
require high-resolution images. Also, the dual- drones and meet the minimum requirements. Using
camera embedded in the drone allows drones in construction sites may sometimes affect
monitoring both the front view and the aerial privacy and other civil liberties. However, drones
view depending on the situation. It should be are complex multi-mode surveillance systems that
noted that there is a possibility that the drone integrate various technologies and capabilities. This
can become disconnected from the smartphone results in the current regulatory mechanism not
or tablet controlling the system remotely, and adequately dealing with concerns related to privacy
this will create a potential danger for the and civil liberties [84].
workers. The Federal Aviation Agency distinguishes
between the use of drones for recreational and
239 Yıldız et al.

commercial purposes. Those for recreational  It is not allowed to fly around military buildings,
purposes do not require FAA approval, but the defense industrial factories, and prison
drone must be within sight, meet the required safety buildings.
guidelines, and be 5 miles away from the airport.  Drones weighing up to 500 grams can be used
Besides, its weight can not be more than 55 pounds. for hobby purposes.
The intention to use drones is accepted as  The above rules are not required in search and
commercial in case the operator's occupation is rescue activities; however, operations require
related to the use of drones. It is prohibited to permission from the General Directorate of
operate drones on moving people and vehicles [85]. Civil Aviation.
In the European Union, the use of more than 150 kg  Flying all types of drones over private property
drones is directly regulated by International Civil requires to take permission of the property
Aviation Organization (ICAO), and each country owner.
regulates the use of those less than 150 kg by itself
[86]. These regulations indent supporting drone 7. Conclusion
market development, guaranteeing security, Drone technology is observed to contribute to
maintaining EU aviation security, providing the increasing productivity in many areas at
protection of personal data, privacy and family, and construction sites. Applications show that this
ensuring the risk fee depending on usage. technology facilitates many activities, from
In contrast, in the European Union, each planning to monitoring construction work, from
country/region can freely determine the regulations. increasing occupational health and safety to
The most important rules to know for flying a drone monitoring infrastructures, making it more efficient
in France are as follows: [87]: and less costly.
 All drones of 800g or more must be registered While drones facilitate the creation of expensive
by their owner on AlphaTango, the public portal and time-consuming topographic maps, especially
for users of remotely piloted aircraft. for large construction sites, they also minimize
 Drone pilots must maintain a line of sight with human errors. This saves time and money while
their drones at all times. If a visual observer is creating the maps and prevents possible major
tracking the drone, the pilot may fly out of his negative deviations that occur in the project budget
or her own range of sight. and duration that is caused due to outdated or
 Drones may not be flown at night. incorrect maps. One of the most important elements
 •Drones may not be flown over people, over of project management is real-time monitoring of
airports or airfields, over private property. the construction site and timely response to events
 Drones may also not be flown over ongoing so that the project is completed within the
fires, accident zones, or around emergency prescribed budget and time. One of the biggest
services. benefits of drones is that they facilitate progress
 Drones may not be flown above 150 meters. monitoring in the site and make it efficient. One of
Compared with global legislation and rules, the most studied issues in the literature is the effect
Turkish regulations are stricter. General Directorate of drone use on occupational health and safety.
of Civil Aviation issued the latest rules in 2016. Studies have shown that drones are effective tools
Some of these rules are as follows [85]: for monitoring the workers whether they comply
 Permission must be obtained from the local with occupational health and safety rules. While
authority before flying. drones make monitoring various infrastructures,
 Operations must be at least 9 kilometers away especially bridges and railways, easier and more
from the airports. efficient, they eliminate both human-induced errors
in these activities and the security risks that appear
while monitoring the infrastructure with traditional
Using drone technologies for construction project management: A narrative review 240

methods. Drone technology is also crucial in Declaration of conflicting interests

detecting damages due to disasters such as
The author(s) declared no potential conflicts of
earthquakes and floods and taking necessary
interest with respect to the research, authorship,
precautions quickly and effectively. Apart from
and/or publication of this article.
these, studies indicated that drones could be used in
many other applications, such as ensuring the References
maintenance of the construction site, taking
precautions related to traffic during road [1] Rao B, Gopi AG, Maione R (2016) The societal
impact of commercial drones. Technology in
constructions and ensuring construction site safety.
Society 45: 83-90.
All these make construction management
[2] Jenkins D, Vasigh B (2013). The economic impact
easier, more effective and more efficient while of unmanned aircraft systems integration in the
making companies using this technology more United States. Arlington, Va: Association Of
competitive. Moreover, with the developing Unmanned Vehicle Systems International.
technology, drones' application areas are expected [3] Wang G, Hollar D, Sayger S, Zhu Z, Buckeridge
to expand much more. Although there are various JS, Li J, Chong J, Duffield C, Ryu D, Hu W (2016)
obstacles to using this technology, which is Risk considerations in the use of unmanned aerial
relatively new, these obstacles are easily overcome vehicles in the construction industry. Journal of
Risk Analysis and Crisis Response 6(4): 165-177.
with the development of technology and adaptation
[4] BigRentz (2018) 6 Profitable Ways Drones in
of the sector to technology.
Construction Are Changing Projects. Available:
In conclusion, it could be stated that it is https://www.bigrentz.com/blog/drones-
important for construction companies and construction. [Accessed 15 07 2021].
managers to adopt drone technology to their [5] Drone Technology in the Construction Industry.
construction sites to make their operations more Available: https://thompsontractor.com/
efficient. However, being careful in the about/resources-(1)/drone-technology. [Accessed
procurement of drones, which are more 15 07 2021].
technological than other equipment used in [6] Use of Drones in the Construction Industry.
Available: https://www.safesitefacilities.co.
construction sites, is important. Another important
uk/knowledge-base/use-of-drones-in-construction-
issue to be considered is that the regulation on using
industry. [Accessed 15 07 2021].
drones. Knowing the related regulations is [7] Moret R (2018) The Rise of Drones in
important since drones pose security risks as they Construction. Drone Deploy. Available:
may fall during flight and since people's privacy https://www.dronedeploy.com/blog/rise-drones-
may be violated due to aerial surveillance of drones. construction/. [Accessed 15 07 2021].
This review study indicated that using drones in [8] Zhou S, Gheisari M (2018) Unmanned aerial
construction sites will be beneficial, especially in system applications in construction: a systematic
completing the construction projects within the review. Construction Innovation 18(4): 453-468.
[9] Albeaino G, Gheisari M, Franz BW (2019) A
determined budget and time. In this respect, sector
systematic review of unmanned aerial vehicle
stakeholders should adopt this technology to their
application areas and technologies in the AEC
construction sites without hesitation, which will domain. Journal of Information Technology in
make their company more competitive and ready Construction 24: 381-405.
for the future. [10] Dastgheibifard S, Asnafi M (2018) A review on
This study only focused on the non-technical potential applications of unmanned aerial vehicles
aspects of drone technologies. However, the for the construction industry. Sustainable Structure
technical aspects of drones should also be discussed and Materials 1(2): 44-53.
in future studies as stakeholders' decisions on the [11] Bernardo WM, Nobre MRC, Jatene FB (2004)
Evidence based clinical practice: part II-searching
usage of drones might be affected by these aspects.
evidence databases. Revista da Associação Médica
Brasileira 50(1): 104-108.
241 Yıldız et al.

[12] Rother ET (2007) Systematic literature review X [23] Alizadehsalehi S, Yitmen I, Celik T, Arditi D
narrative review. Acta Paulista de Enfermagem, (2020) The effectiveness of an integrated
20(2): 5-6. BIM/UAV model in managing safety on
[13] Dukowitz Z (2020) Drones in Construction: How construction sites. International Journal of
Drones Are Helping Construction Companies Save Occupational Safety and Ergonomics 26(4): 829-
Money, Improve Safety Conditions and Keep 844.
Customers Happy. Available: [24] Han K, Degol J, Golparvar-Fard M (2018)
https://uavcoach.com/drones-in-construction/. Geometry-and appearance-based reasoning of
[Accessed 18 07 2021]. construction progress monitoring. Journal of
[14] Neitzel F, Klonowski J (2011) Mobile 3D mapping Construction Engineering and Management
with a Low-Cost UAV System. Conference on 144(2): 04017110.
Unmanned Aerial Vehicle in Geomatics in Zurich, [25] Lin JJ, Han KK, Golparvar-Fard M (2015) A
Switzerland, Copernicus GmbH, Gottingen 38: 1- framework for model-driven acquisition and
6. analytics of visual data using UAVs for automated
[15] Jizhou W, Zongjian L, Chengming L (2004) construction progress monitoring. Computing in
Reconstruction of buildings from a single UAV Civil Engineering in Austin TX, 2015, American
image. Proc. Int. Society for Photogrammetry and Society of Civil Engineers, 156-164.
Remote Sensing Congress, International Society [26] Freimuth H, Müller J, König M (2017) Simulating
for Photogrammetry and Remote Sensing, and executing UAV-assisted inspections on
Hannover, Germany. construction sites. 34th International Symposium
[16] Eisenbeiß H (2009) UAV photogrammetry. on Automation and Robotics in Construction
Doctoral dissertation, ETH Zurich, Switzerland. (ISARC 2017).
[17] Barazzetti L, Remondino F, Scaioni M (2010) [27] Irizarry J, Costa, DB (2016) Exploratory study of
Automation in 3D reconstruction: Results on potential applications of unmanned aerial systems
different kinds of close-range blocks. ISPRS for construction management tasks. Journal of
Commission V Symp. Int. Archives of Management in Engineering 32(3): 05016001.
Photogrammetry, Remote Sensing and Spatial [28] Karan, EP, Christmann C, Gheisari M, Irizarry J,
Information Sciences, Newcastle upon Tyne, U.K. Johnson EN (2014) A comprehensive matrix of
[18] Bang S, Kim H, Kim H (2017) Vision-based 2D unmanned aerial systems requirements for potential
map generation for monitoring construction sites applications within a department of transportation.
using UAV videos. Proceedings of the International Construction Research Congress in Atlanta,
Symposium on Automation and Robotics in American Society of Civil Engineers, GA, 964-
Construction (ISARC), 2017, Vilnius Gediminas 973.
Technical University 34: 1-4. [29] Golparvar-Fard M, Peña-Mora F, Savarese S
[19] Hudzietz BP, Saripalli S (2011) An experimental (2011) Integrated sequential As-built and As-
evaluation of 3d terrain mapping with an planned representation with D4AR tools in support
autonomous helicopter. Conference on Unmanned of decision-making tasks in the AEC/FM industry.
Aerial Vehicle in Geomatics, Zurich, Switzerland. Journal of Construction Engineering and
[20] Siebert S, Teizer J (2014) Mobile 3D mapping for Management 137:1099–1116.
surveying earthwork projects using an Unmanned [30] Ham Y, Han KK, Lin JJ, Golparvar-Fard M (2016)
Aerial Vehicle (UAV) system. Automation in Visual monitoring of civil infrastructure systems
Construction 41: 1-14. via camera-equipped Unmanned Aerial Vehicles
[21] Hui L, Park MW, Brilakis I (2015) Automated (UAVs): a review of related works. Visualization in
brick counting for façade construction progress Engineering 4(1).
Estimation. Journal of Computing in Civil [31] Knight W (2015) New boss on construction sites is
Engineering 29(6): 04014091. a drone. MIT Technology Review, Available:
[22] Kaamin M, Razali SNM, Ahmad NFA, Bukari SM, www.technologyreview.com/news/540836/new-
Ngadiman N, Kadir AA, Hamid NB (2017) The boss-on-construction-sites-is-a-drone/ [Accessed
application of micro UAV in construction project. 17 07 2021].
AIP Conference Proceedings, 1891(1): 020070.
Using drone technologies for construction project management: A narrative review 242

[32] Gheisari M, Irizarry J, Walker B (2014) [43] Kashani M, Maddocks J, Afsar Dizaj E (2019)
UAS4SAFETY: the potential of unmanned aerial Residual capacity of corroded reinforced concrete
systems for construction safety applications. bridge components: a state-of-the-art review.
Construction Research Congress 1801-1810. Journal of Bridge Engineering 24(7): 03119001.
[33] Irizarry J, Johnson EN (2014) Feasibility study to [44] McRobbie SG, Wright MA, Chan A (2015) Can
determine the economic and operational benefits of technology improve routine visual bridge
utilizing unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs). inspections? Proceedings of the Institution of Civil
Georgia DOT Research Project 12-38 Final Report, Engineers- Bridge Engineering 168(3): 197-207.
Georgia Institute of Technology. [45] Teng E, Falcão JD, Iannucci B (2017) Holes-in-the-
[34] De Melo RRS, Costa DB, Álvares JS, Irizarry J Sky: A field study on cellular-connected UAS.
(2017) Applicability of unmanned aerial system International Conference on Unmanned Aircraft
(UAS) for safety inspection on construction sites. Systems (ICUAS) 1165-1174.
Safety Science 98: 174-185. [46] Snook V (2018) Using drone surveys of
[35] Gheisari M, Esmaeili B (2016) Unmanned aerial infrastructure and plant to improve safety and
systems (UAS) for construction safety applications. productivity. Proceedings of the Institution of Civil
Construction Research Congress 2016, 2642-2650. Engineers – Civil Engineering 171(2): 53.
[36] Wakefield J (2016) Tomorrow's Buildings: [47] Metni N, Hamel T (2007) A UAV for bridge
Construction industry goes robotic. BBC inspection: Visual servoing control law with
Technology, Available: orientation limits. Automation in Construction
https://www.bbc.com/news/technology-35746648 17(1): 3-10.
[Accessed 17 07 2021]. [48] Rathinam S, Rathinam S, Kim ZW, Sengupta R
[37] Reagan D, Sabato A, Niezrecki C (2017) (2008) Vision-based monitoring of locally linear
Unmanned aerial vehicle acquisition of three- structures using an unmanned aerial vehicle.
dimensional digital image correlation Journal of Infrastructure Systems 14(1): 52–63.
measurements for structural health monitoring of [49] Eschmann C, Kuo CM, Kuo CH, Boller C (2013)
bridges. SPIE Smart Structures and Materials + High-resolution multisensor infrastructure
Nondestructive. Evaluation and Health Monitoring, inspection with unmanned aircraft systems.
1016909. International Archives of the Photogrammetry,
[38] Kaya Y, Ventura C, Huffman S, Turek M (2017) Remote Sensing and Spatial Information Sciences
British Columbia Smart Infrastructure Monitoring in Rostock, Germany, International Society for
System. Canadian Journal of Civil Engineering Photogrammetry and Remote Sensing, 125-129.
44(8): 579–588. [50] Huang Y, Yi S, Li Z, Shao S, Qin X (2010) Design
[39] Bennetts J, Vardanega PJ, Taylor CA, Denton SR of highway landslide warning and emergency
(2020) Survey on the use of data in UK bridge asset response systems based on UAV. 7th China Symp.
management. Proceedings of the Institution of Civil on Remote Sensing, Int. Society for Optics and
Engineers – Bridge Engineering 173(4): 211-222. Photonics, International Society for Optics and
[40] Omar T, Nehdi ML (2017) Remote sensing of Photonics (SPIE), Bellingham, WA.
concrete bridge decks using unmanned aerial [51] Wang B, Han L, Zhang H, Wang Q, Li B (2009) A
vehicle infrared thermography. Automation in flying robotic system for power line corridor
Construction, 83: 360-371. inspection, Robotics and Biomimetics (ROBIO),
[41] Bolourian N, Hammad A (2020) LiDAR-equipped IEEE International Conference in Guilin, China,
UAV path planning considering potential locations IEEE, 2468-2473.
of defects for bridge inspection. Automation in [52] Ellenberg A, Branco L, Krick A, Bartoli I, Kontsos
Construction 117: 103250. A (2015) Use of unmanned aerial vehicle for
[42] Popescu C, Täljsten B, Blanksvärd T, Elfgren L quantitative infrastructure evaluation. Journal of
(2019) 3D reconstruction of existing concrete Infrastructure Systems 21(3): 04014054.
bridges using optical methods, Structure and [53] Nakagawa M, Yamamoto T, Tanaka S, Noda Y,
Infrastructure Engineering 15(7): 912-924. Hashimoto K, Ito M, Miyo M (2015) Location-
based infrastructure inspection for Sabo facilities.
ISPRS Geospatial Week in La Grande Motte,
France, Copernicus GmbH, Gottingen, 3: 257-262.
243 Yıldız et al.

[54] Kang D, Cha YJ (2018) Autonomous UAVs for [64] DeBell L, Anderson K, Brazier RE, King N, Jones
structural health monitoring using deep learning L (2015) Water resource management at catchment
and an ultrasonic beacon System with geo-tagging. scales using lightweight UAVs: current capabilities
Computer-Aided Civil Infrastructure Engineering and future perspectives. Journal of Unmanned
33(10): 885-902. Vehicle Systems 4(1): 7-30.
[55] Banaszek A, Zarnowski A, Cellmer A, Banaszek S [65] Merino L, Caballero F, Martinez-de Dios JR,
(2017) Application of new technology data Ferruz J, Ollero A (2006) A cooperative perception
acquisition using aerial (UAV) digital images for system for multiple UAVs: Application to
the needs of urban revitalization. Environmental automatic detection of forest fires. Journal of Field
Engineering 10th International Conference, 27-28 Robotics 23(3/4): 165-184.
April, Lithuania. [66] Margaritoff M (2017) A drone helped firefighters
[56] Zhang C, Elaksher A (2012) An unmanned aerial combat the London Grenfell Tower inferno. The
vehicle-based imaging system for 3D measurement Drive. Available:
of unpaved road surface distresses. Computer- http://www.thedrive.com/aerial/11701/ a-drone-
Aided Civil and Infrastructure Engineering 27(2): helpedfirefighters-combat-the-london-grenfell-
118-129. tower-inferno. [Accessed 17 07 2021].
[57] Hellmuth J, Hunter A, Barclay A (2018) Unmanned [67] Norio O, Ye T, Kajitani Y, Shi P, Tatano H (2011)
Aerial Vehicles (UAV) and their continuing The 2011 eastern Japan great earthquake disaster:
application to geotechnical slope risk assessment Overview and comments. International Journal of
and design. Australian Geomechanics 53(3): 41-49. Disaster Risk Science 2(1): 34-42.
[58] Stewart DL, Follas H, Knott DL, Delport T (2018) [68] Ezequiel CAF, Cua M, Libatique NC, Tangonan
Use of small unmanned aerial vehicles and related GL, Alampay R, Labuguen RT, Favila CM,
digital data in geotechnical and natural hazard Honrado JLE, Caños V, Devaney C, Loreto AB,
impact assessments. Australian Geomechanics Bacusmo J, Palma B (2014) UAV aerial imaging
53(3): 23-38. applications for post-disaster assessment,
[59] Freeman MR, Kashani MM, Vardanega PJ (2021) environmental management and infrastructure
Aerial robotic technologies for civil engineering: development. International Conference on
established and emerging practice. Journal of Unmanned Aircraft Systems 274-283.
Unmanned Vehicle Systems 9(2): 75-91. [69] Pratt KS, Murphy RR, Burke JL, Craighead J,
[60] Erdelj M, Natalizio E, Chowdhury KR, Akyildiz IF Griffin C, Stover S (2008) Use of tethered small
(2017) Help from the sky: leveraging UAVs for unmanned aerial system at Berkman Plaza II
disaster management. IEEE Pervasive Computing collapse. IEEE International Workshop on Safety,
16(1): 24-32. Security and Rescue Robotics in Sendai, Japan,
[61] Yamamoto T, Kusumoto H, Banjo K (2014) Data 134-139.
collection system for a rapid recovery work: using [70] Michael N, Shen S, Mohta K, Mulgaonkar Y,
digital photogrammetry and a small unmanned Kumar V, Nagatani K, Okada Y, Kiribayashi S,
aerial vehicle (UAV). International Conference on Otake K, Yoshida K, Ohno K (2012) Collaborative
Computing in Civil and Building Engineering, 875- mapping of an earthquake-damaged building via
882. ground and aerial robots. Journal of Field Robotics
[62] Greenwood WW, Lynch JP, Zekkos D (2019) 29(5): 832-841.
Applications of UAVs in Civil Infrastructure. [71] Feifei X, Zongjian L, Dezhu G, Hua L (2012) Study
Journal of Infrastructure Systems 25(2): 04019002. on construction of 3D building based on UAV
[63] Adams SM, Friedland CJ (2011) A survey of images. The International Archives of the
Unmanned Aerial Vehicle (UAV) usage for Photogrammetry, Remote Sensing and Spatial
imagery collection in disaster research and Information Sciences, Vol. XXXIX-B1: 469-473.
management. Ninth International Workshop on [72] Wefelscheid C, Hänsch R, Hellwich O (2011)
Remote Sensing for Disaster Response, Stanford, Three-dimensional building reconstruction using
CA, USA. images obtained by unmanned aerial vehicles.
ISPRS Zurich 2011 Workshop in Zurich,
Switzerland, Vol. XXXVIII-1/C22: 183-188.
Using drone technologies for construction project management: A narrative review 244

[73] Tomita H, Takabatake T, Sakamoto S, Arisumi H, [81] Yang RJ, Gunarathna CL, McDermott V, Lingard
Kato S, Ohgusu Y (2017) Development of UAV H, Zhao H, Liu C (2020) Opportunities for
indoor flight technology for building equipment improving construction health and safety using
Works. Proceedings of the International real-time H&S management innovations: a socio-
Symposium on Automation and Robotics in technical-economic perspective. International
Construction, Vilnius, 34: 1-6. Journal of Construction Management 20(5): 534-
[74] Coifman B, McCord M, Mishalani RG, Redmill K 554.
(2004) Surface transportation surveillance from [82] Delgado JMD, Oyedele L, Ajayi A, Akanbi L,
unmanned aerial vehicles. Proceedings of the 83rd Akinade O, Bilal M, Owolabi H (2019) Robotics
Annual Meeting of the Transportation Research and automated systems in construction:
Board, 10: 209-219. Understanding industry-specific challenges for
[75] Shastry A, Schowengerdt R (2002) Airborne video adoption. Journal of Building Engineering 26:
registration for visualization and parameter 100868.
estimation of traffic flows. Proceedings of Pecora, [83] Pecoraro J, Harper C, Wang C (2017) Unmanned
15: 391-405. aircraft systems in construction and agriculture:
[76] Puri A, Valavanis K, Kontitsis M (2007) uses, benefits, challenges, and why companies
Generating traffic statistical profiles using choose to invest. KICEM Journal of Construction
unmanned helicopter-based video data. Engineering and Project Management 7(2): 34–44.
International Conference on Robotics and [84] Finn RL, Wright D (2012) Unmanned aircraft
Automation, IEEE, Roma, Italy 870-876. systems: surveillance, ethics and privacy in civil
[77] McCormack ED (2008) The use of small unmanned applications. Computer Law & Security Report
aircraft by the Washington State Department of 28(2): 184-194.
Transportation. Research Report Agreement [85] Yıldızel SA, Çalış G (2019) Unmanned aerial
T4118, Task 04 Washington State Department of vehicles for civil engineering: Current practises and
Transportation. regulations. Avrupa Bilim ve Teknoloji Dergisi 16:
[78] Wen MC, Kang SC (2014) Augmented reality and 925-932.
unmanned aerial vehicle assist in construction [86] Heredia G, Caballero F, Maza I, Merino L, Viguria
management. International Conference on A, Ollero A (2009) Multi-unmanned aerial vehicle
Computing in Civil and Building Engineering (UAV) cooperative fault detection employing
1570-1577. differential global positioning (DGPS), inertial and
[79] Frederiksen MH, Mouridsen OAV, Knudsen MP vision sensors. Sensors 9(9): 7566-7579.
(2019) Drones for inspection of infrastructure: [87] UAV Coach (2021) Drone Laws in France.
Barriers, opportunities and successful uses. Centre Available: https://uavcoach.com/drone-laws-in-
for Integrative Innovation Management. france//. [Accessed 12 08 2021].
[80] Li Y, Liu C (2018) Applications of multirotor drone
technologies in construction management.
International Journal of Construction Management
19(3):1-12.

View publication stats