Unmanned aerial vehicles in construction: advanced technologies and regulatory changes

Introduction. The paper examines the application of unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) in construction, emphasizing their use for geodetic surveys, site monitoring, and construction supervision.

Aim. To analyze contemporary UAV applications in design and construction, as well to assess their impact on the accuracy, cost, and duration of construction period. To achieve this goal, we set the following objectives: to classify existing UAV application practices; to identify their key advantages and limitations; to determine the most promising areas of their use based on an analysis of specific cases.

Materials and methods. The study is based on the analysis and systematization of comments on the draft amendments to SP 126.13330.2017. The methodology of the study includes collecting proposals from the explanatory note and discussion materials with their classification according to target aspects including document structure, terminology, and technical requirements with subsequent generalization. The study yielded a summary table that clearly presents the analyzed comments and recommendations to form the basis for integrating UAV technology into the regulatory framework.

Results. The importance of UAVs for improving safety at construction sites, construction quality, and efficiency of work execution is substantiated. The article considers real-world examples of using UAVs to monitor roads, high-rise buildings, and historical sites, as well as highlights the role of new technologies in monitoring industrial facilities.

Conclusions. The presented results demonstrate the successful implementation of UAVs in construction processes, as well as the need for further improvements of the regulatory framework to fully utilize their potential.

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