UK drone services company Skyports Drone Services (Skyports), whose services include delivery and inspection, has partnered with German construction company HOCHTIEF to provide automated BVLOS drone-in-a-box aerial surveying of the Rheinbrücke Leverkusen bridge construction site, on the River Rhein, north of Cologne.
And in a ground-breaking development, Skyports will be overseeing the actual flight missions DJI Dock 2 drones from its Remote Operation Centre (ROC) in Madrid, Spain, negating the need for on-site pilots and providing significant flexibility and efficiencies.
“Large infrastructure projects are incredibly intricate and complex, with construction companies under pressure to deliver on time and on budget,” said Alex Brown, CEO, Skyports Drone Services.
“With automated drone-in-a-box surveys like this we’re providing alternate perspectives and deep level data insights that can improve resource planning and catch any potential issues early, helping keep projects on track. Piloting the drone remotely also means we are creating operational efficiencies, improving cost and data outputs for our customers.”
Skyports has docked drone systems installed at the construction site. Conducting weekly automated BVLOS drone surveys, the survey data collected helps HOCHTIEF to build a layered picture of how the construction process is progressing each, or even on demand.
The bridge is expected to be completed by 2028, requiring extensive earthworks, the removal of the old bridge, and new construction on both the east and west banks.
“By partnering with Skyports, we have a leading innovator in drone technology at our side to drive our complex construction projects,” said Klaus Grüttner, Executive Vice President Europe, HOCHTIEF Infrastructure.
"This cooperation enables us to monitor the construction progress seamlessly and cost-efficiently and to provide targeted support in billing, especially in earthworks. In addition, we benefit from precise surveying data that supports a continuous target/actual comparison and the optimization of our construction processes.”
Previously, progress monitoring of the construction site was mostly manual and subjective. Some drone surveys had been conducted, but they were limited, infrequent, and required on-site personnel.
“With advancements in drone technology and Skyports’ expertise, this process has now been fully automated – eliminating the need for on-site pilots or access,” the company statement said.
Skyports have also roped in DroneDeploy to ensure detailed next-level data collection. DroneDeploy provides the data in both 2D and 3D survey outputs for progress monitoring reports.
“Providing a detailed 3D model of the bridge each week allows HOCHTIEF to track construction progress and monitor any occurrences, helping to identify any issues early and reduce the chance of overruns or delays to the project.”