“Building inspectors who used to rely on binoculars and ladders are turning to drones to check property exteriors for signs of damage or deterioration that could lead to injuries,” writes The Wall Street Journal (Feb. 21, 2018). But their lower cost and greater thoroughness is coming into conflict with another public safety concern: the danger drones pose to other aircraft or people on the ground. In New York City, which has thousands of old skyscrapers, drone use is prohibited for property inspection. Yet buildings over 5 stories must be regularly inspected in NYC, forcing inspectors to go out with binoculars, field notes, a pen and paper.
Drones, which had early applications in warfare and surveillance, increasingly are being adopted by a wide range of businesses—from package delivery to underwater exploration. Business applications have grown significantly since 2016, when an FAA ruling made it easier to become a drone operator. Since that ruling, technological developments have made drones smaller, more reliable and easier to fly, causing a growing number of building inspectors to embrace them.
Take the inspection of a cathedral in Long Island. Using a drone, inspectors could examine the chimney without having to erect scaffolds—the difference between a $1,000 inspection and a $10,000 scaffolding inspection. Using a drone also can shorten a weekslong inspection to a day. “It is realistic that a $10,000 drone inspection could cost over $100,000 of hanging scaffolding,” said one engineering consultant.
About 8% of the 21,000 certified home inspectors in the U.S. now use drones for inspections. Four years ago, there were virtually zero.
Classroom discussion questions:
- What are the advantages and disadvantages in drone usage for building inspection?
- How else might drones be used in OM?