Bechtel said it has been granted permission for commercial use of unmanned aircraft system technology by the United States Federal Aviation Administration.
The permission allows Bechtel to operate UAS technology, also known as unmanned aerial vehicles or drones, on projects in the United States to enhance construction processes within the virtual project delivery approach, the company said in a statement.
Mike Lewis, Bechtel’s manager of construction said, “We teamed with Skycatch to explore innovative ways of integrating drones into our execution systems, particularly on the megaprojects Bechtel is building around the world. This technology helps improve safety and quality of project delivery by providing real-time data and analysis to project teams so they can act in a timely manner.”
The technology gathers real-time data and provides powerful data analytics necessary to improve efficiency of construction on large and complex projects. The system can carry a variety of sensors like high-definition cameras, infrared scanners, thermal sensors, and radiation monitors.
Bechtel teamed with Skycatch in 2013 to further develop the company’s UAS platform and integrate it into Bechtel’s systems and processes. The data collected by the drone can now be stored in a cloud, analysed within Bechtel’s design and construction software requirements, and viewed on multiple devices by the teams on site. The companies proved the technology’s viability at one of the largest LNG projects in Australia. Bechtel will use the technology to collect real-time environmental data (e.g. air quality, temperature, etc.) to ensure safe operation of projects; to survey difficult and inaccessible terrain to provide accurate information needed for its engineering teams to design facilities efficiently and with improved environmental footprint; and to track real-time construction progress enabling its site teams to work safely and plan construction more efficiently.
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Image: Bechtel