APPLICATION OF DRONES IN THE MEASUREMENT OF CONSTRUCTION WORKS ON SITE

The aim of this study is to examine application of drones in the measurement of construction works on site. The objectives of the study are to investigate the benefits of adopting drone applications on construction sites, to identify the challenges faced by construction companies in incorporating drones into their operations and to explore potential solutions to overcome the obstacles in drone adoption for construction site measurement. The population for this study consists of 15 construction professionals. A total number of 15 copies of the questionnaire were distributed while 12 was completed and validly returned while 3 were not returned. The study made use of primary and secondary data. The data collected were analyzed using Tables and Mean Item Score (MIS). The result of the analysis revealed that drones provide significant benefits in construction measurement, with the most prominent being improved measurement accuracy and reduced time for site inspections (Mean = 3.75 each). Other highly ranked benefits included enhanced worker safety, provision of real-time data for better decision-making, early detection of construction errors, and improved site measurement and mapping (Mean = 3.67 each). The study also identified major challenges hindering drone adoption, including the high cost of drone equipment (Mean = 3.83), lack of skilled operators (Mean = 3.75), regulatory restrictions, and limited battery life (Mean = 3.67 each). Other concerns included adverse weather limitations, integration issues with current systems, poor internet connectivity, resistance from site workers, and limited technical support. In terms of potential solutions, the most highly rated were providing drone operation training, developing national drone regulations, and introducing government incentives (Mean = 3.75 each). Additional strategies included partnering with drone service providers, raising awareness of drone benefits, collaborating with universities for research, creating drone usage policies to address privacy concerns, upgrading site connectivity, using weather-resistant drones, and adopting standardized data formats. To this end, the study recommended that construction firms should invest in continuous training programs to develop skilled drone operators who can effectively handle measurement tasks on site.