Construction Monitoring with Micro-Drones

Monitoring site progress and validating earthwork operations at early project stages presents a significant operational challenge, particularly when high precision, rigorous documentation, and real-time validation are required. From day one, micro-drones were deployed on-site to ensure precise tracking of excavation and foundation activities.  Traditional methods such as manual inspections or occasional topographic surveys proved too slow and inconsistent to meet the project’s needs. There was a clear requirement for a low-cost, high-frequency data capture solution that would not rely on constant redeployment of survey teams. The system needed to generate reliable, georeferenced models without requiring full-site recalibration for each drone flight.

The solution relied on the deployment of a fully integrated and automated drone-based monitoring workflow designed for continuous construction validation.  - DroneLink was used to program repeatable, pre-defined flight paths, ensuring consistent and complete coverage of the site at each capture cycle.  - Ground Control Points (GCPs) were permanently installed across the project site to enable reliable, automated georeferencing across all drone flights without requiring resurveying.  - Imagery from each flight was processed using Pix4D to generate high-resolution orthomosaics, digital surface models (DSMs), 3D meshes, and point clouds.  - These outputs were then aligned and integrated into the federated BIM model via platforms such as Revizto, allowing detailed comparison between actual field conditions and design intent.  This integrated workflow allowed the project team to validate excavation depths, confirm the layout of formwork and MEP systems prior to pours, verify the placement of geothermal boreholes, and detect critical issues such as misaligned stair footings. Drone imagery and analytics also served as a digital record for quality assurance, client communication, and internal decision-making.