Drones have multiple useful applications within facilities management; they enable limitless aerial perspective as they`ve become more affordable and more sophisticated.
Building inspections of roofs, chimneys, towers, stadiums, building spires and many more inspections no longer need expensive cherry-pickers or scaffolding. What was previously a difficult and expensive task can now be achieved much more cost-effectively using drones.
Drones open up new opportunities and generate efficiencies in the facilities management industry. Below you can find the major advantages of drone technology:
Cost-Savings
Drones can help you to perform maintenance tasks and building inspections without requiring a large labour force. A single drone can do the work of various labourers, saving both manpower and also a great deal of money. In addition to this, a drone can complete inspections of the largest facilities in a much shorter time period than even the most experienced and efficient technicians.
Health & Safety
Drones can quickly and easily reach hard-to-access areas by reducing the involvement of human resources to carry out expensive operations where the human labour could be at risk.
Thermal Imaging on Drones
As thermal sensors become smaller, lighter, less expensive and more widely available on drones, commercial drone applications are integrating aerial thermography. Thermal imaging uses infrared camera technology to detect differences in surface temperatures. Among many other advantages one of the major is that it is the quickest, safest and most accurate method of delivering high-level roof and building surveys.
Inspections of Hard-to-Reach Spaces
Drones provide facilities managers with eyes in the sky; giving you the chance to check for damage in those parts of the building that are inaccessible. This method makes it easier to determine whether, and where, the building is in need of maintenance.
Damage Evaluation
Aside from taking images, drones nowadays are capable of recording videos of the facility. This offers you the opportunity to find cracks in the façade of the building, missing insulation, leaks and other structural problems that might have been overlooked in the initial inspection.
Security & Surveillance Applications
Facilities face constant safety and security threats, which require real-time response solutions which provide rapid, precise and reliable awareness of the situation. Drones are able to provide real-time insight into security, better control in the emergency situations, gathering precise intelligence.
Collection of Various Types of Data
Advancements in drone technology have meant that these machines are now capable of collecting various types of data. From live video footage to infrared images, UAVs can collect all sorts of data that can’t be obtained using other technologies. This data can be analysed using various software programs to get a clear picture of the maintenance requirements of the facility.
On the following links you can read more about drone technology and how different industries can incorporate drones into their daily work:
How do Drones Revolutionise Different Industries?
How are Drones Transforming the Insurance Sector?
Drone Inspections in the Utilities Industry
If you have any further questions, please call our experts on 01642 931 329.
