Chinese-manufactured DJI drones comprise an estimated 90% of all UAVs on U.S. construction jobsites. Proposed limitations on their use could have profound ripple effects on safety, cost and productivity across the sector.
When Paul Hedgepath walks a construction site, he doesn’t just see steel beams, scaffolding and concrete. He sees the invisible data streams that help keep multimillion-dollar projects on schedule and under budget - much of it captured by drones buzzing silently overhead.
“Drones are on every jobsite we have,” says Hedgepath, director of innovation at MJ Harris Construction. “We use them for progress tracking, reporting to owners, safety and photogrammetry. They’ve become a daily part of how we build.”
That reliance, however, could soon face its biggest test yet. Nearly 90% of drones used in the U.S. construction industry are made by DJI, a Chinese company that dominates the global market. Policymakers in Washington, citing security concerns and data privacy issues, are weighing bans and restrictions on Chinese-made drones across federal projects - with ripple effects likely for private-sector contractors too.
Reprinted courtesy of Maggie Murphy, Construction Executive, a publication of Associated Builders and Contractors. All rights reserved.