Drones, transversal tools beyond the AEC sector

drone applications

The technological advances of drones make their use multidisciplinary.

Today, its integrated technology has allowed the capture of valuable data through images, videos, thermal information and other data, but today its applications are completely transversal, also allowing the possibility of offering other services, ranging from generating statistical information in time real to being vehicles capable of spraying chemicals on crop fields.

Drones are becoming more accessible every day, however their capacity and applications are progressively increasing. Despite the possible limitations of these tools, it is imminent that carrying out tasks with the use of conventional methods can be expensive, dangerous and sometimes simply impossible when it comes to accessing complex areas in services such as construction monitoring or photogrammetry with drones.

There are sectors where drones have a greater impact, but their presence is increasing in all sectors. Below we detail some of those applications.

Acero Estudio is passionate about innovation. Our team is prepared for great challenges. Finding the “how to do it better” is always our goal, based on curiosity and experience we look for efficient solutions and seek to optimize resources when approaching a project. Ask us about our services and scope, you will be surprised by all the solutions that our fleet of drones can offer.

Remember that Acero Estudio, a company specialized in drones, provides various services dedicated to reducing construction, engineering or architectural risks such as:

Contact us and request a quote for our services, we are here to assist you.

The 3D laser scanner like never before seen

robot 3d laser scanner

Capturing the environment using a 3D laser scanner sometimes becomes an arduous task due to difficult access to certain locations.

FARO has integrated its 3D laser scanner with Boston Dynamics’ Spot robot for autonomous point cloud capture. This integration focuses on automated capture and its main advantage is the increase in efficiency and data analysis in real time as well as the ease obtained when reaching areas of difficult transit for people.

“Our construction customers need turnkey solutions for autonomous documentation and analysis on the jobsite. Boston Dynamics’ strategic alliance with Trimble has allowed us to collaboratively build that solution by combining our strengths in robotics and construction, respectively”

– Brian Ringley, Director of Building Products at Boston Dynamics

Without tools like these, scanning has never been easier. The combination of FARO and Boston Dynamics allows us to document changes on site in the moment and make important decisions in the field, rather than waiting hours or potentially days for information to be transmitted to our project staff.

At Acero Estudio, a company specialized in 3D laser scanning, we like to stay up to date with all the latest developments in the sector and we don’t miss a single one!

Learn more about Acero Estudio services dedicated to reducing construction risks such as:

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The indispensable help of drones

topografia y drones

Drone technology is advancing at exponential rates and is increasingly accessible, which is why different sectors are taking advantage of and adopting drones in their work to drastically increase their efficiency. In other words, drones are changing the way businesses operate by reducing costs, saving time, improving safety and providing a direct return on investment, so their impact should not be ignored.

In particular, the use of drones in topography (topographic surveys with drones) represents a revolution. While the use of traditional methods provides more precision, the use of drones in this type of work offers more survey surface in the same period of time.

“There is a saying in the construction industry: “Time, cost and safety, pick two.” And what makes drones really transformative for us is that we can choose and improve all three.”

– Grant Hagen, Director of VDC, the Beck Group

As we already know, the use of drones brings with it a large number of advantages and each of these advantages has to do with their ability to reduce the time, danger and cost of the project. However, another very important factor to consider is this, are drones as accurate as traditional ground surveying methods?

For many years, the precision of drones has not lived up to their theoretical potential although this has begun to change. With drone solutions, a wide selection of surveying techniques is available that allows any project to be developed with excellent results.

At Acero Estudio, a company specialized in drones for topography, LIDAR and photogrammetry, we invested in drones for the development of this type of projects and we were not wrong. What are you waiting for to find out?

Take into account that Acero Estudio provides various services dedicated to reducing construction risks such as:

Contact us and request a quote for our services, we are here to assist you.

Drones and their transformation of the AEC industry

drone inspección de obras

Companies in the AEC (Architecture, Engineering, Construction) industry are using drones to quickly and accurately collect topographic data.

The architecture, engineering and construction sector has historically been slow to adapt to technology. In fact, according to a report by the McKinsey Global Institute, the construction sector is one of the least digitalized. This is underlined by another report, this one from JBKnowledge, which reveals that almost 60% of construction companies do not invest in new technologies.

Much of the AEC industry is using technologies and processes that no longer adequately serve their needs, either for projects or for associations. However, one area where the construction industry is expanding its use of emerging technology is the use of drones. Estimates by PricewaterhouseCoopers place sources of drone work for infrastructure at a market value of $45.2 billion. Today, an increasing number of disciplines within construction projects – such as designers, surveying companies, environmental consultants, builders and inspectors – use drones in the field to take aerial photography (drone photogrammetry). , volumetric analysis and topographic mapping, among many other things.

The ability of drones to collect real-time data on the jobsite has dramatically increased workflow and efficiency in design and construction. Drones are used most frequently in construction to carry out studies on construction sites, as is the case of our company, Acero Estudio, supervising the progress of the GECAMA wind farm in Cuenca, with the help of this technology. . Drones capture data that surveyors need but typically cannot see, as they have an unobstructed, high-altitude view of the construction site.

This also helps make the construction site safer, as drones can inspect difficult or dangerous terrain, keeping human surveyors out of harm’s way and helping construction workers avoid dangerous areas. For all these reasons, drones are replacing traditional methods of terrain surveillance and greatly reducing the time and manual work required.

It is an irony that the AEC sector is one of the slowest to adopt new technologies and yet one of those that could benefit the most from them. However, this sector has more readily adopted the use of drones, which can save large design and construction projects a lot of time and money.

Learn more about Acero Estudio

Take into account that Acero Estudio provides various services dedicated to reducing construction risks such as:

Contact us and request a quote for our services, we are here to assist you.

Conceptual study for the improvement of pedestrian accessibility in metropolitan station

estudio conceptual para restitucion accesibilidad metropolitano de lima

The Acero Estudio team in Peru carried out the geodesy work, drone flight and restitution of the area planned for Pedestrian Accessibility to and from the Metropolitan Stations, Lima.

Given the current global pandemic situation due to COVID-19, these tasks were all carried out under preventive measures and medical examinations.

To better understand the work carried out by our team in the project area, they began with the placement of Geodetic Points (one at each station) linked to the IGN coordinate system. Their measurement using dual-frequency differential GPS. Next, the necessary support points were located for the subsequent restoration of the drone flight. These support points were marked with an X-shaped template and paint, and measured with GPS in RTK mode.

The drone flight of the 33 stations was carried out at an appropriate height taking into account the height of the existing buildings and elements. For this, a DJI Phantom 4 Pro drone with a 20 Mpx camera was used. Once the photogrammetric images were obtained, they were processed and the point cloud and orthophoto of each station was created. With the orthophoto and the point cloud, the MDT was processed and subsequently the restitution of the environment of each station.

We thank our client CPS for all the trust placed in our team and the work of coordinating and directing the work carried out.

Remember that at Acero Estudio we are specialists in photogrammetry services with drones and LIDAR, both services performed with drones and very useful for engineering or architectural projects.

Take into account that Acero Estudio provides services dedicated to reducing construction risks such as:

Contact us and request a quote for our services, we are here to assist you.

Supervision of progress of works with drones

The monitoring and inspection of works with drones is being implemented as a valuable tool to document the evolution in the execution of works through drone flights.

Companies involved in the control and supervision of works are increasingly opting for aerial supervision with drones during the construction process, mainly to carry out four types of work:

  • Execution progress control
  • Checking the geometry
  • Obtaining corporate and/or advertising videos
  • Detailed images of unique elements.

Our monitoring, inspection and aerial supervision services for works with drones, both outdoors and indoors, allow complete tracking of the work. Among the main advantages of this technology, the following stand out:

  • It helps to know the rhythm of execution
  • Increases and improves the quality and quantity of graphic documentation in different phases of construction
  • Minimizes costs, acquiring greater information in less time
  • Improves safety by reducing accessibility difficulties, avoiding risks to the human team that carries out the inspection

At Acero Estudio we have a team of drones and experienced pilots, trained to develop any type of project, which allows us to guarantee the optimal result of the contracted work, as well as offer all the experience accumulated in the sector in each of the works. in which we participate. Through the acquisition of data, we carry out a precise study of the area and its needs, in accordance with the current UAS Regulations in Spain applied by the State Aviation Safety Agency (AESA).

We already have several projects carried out in this area, among which it is worth highlighting the supervision of the GECAMA wind farm (Castilla-La Mancha Wind Generation) in Cuenca, specifically in the municipalities of Atalaya del Cañete, Cañada Juncosa, Honrubia and Tébar, where the Application of this technology is providing a large number of benefits for different collaborators.

Hiring a drone service is an excellent investment for companies in any industry. This technology is used throughout the entire execution of the project, from feasibility and bidding to transfer and maintenance, so the opportunity to apply it whenever possible in any type of work should not be missed.

We thank GECAMA, TYPSA and Enlight for the trust placed in our team to carry out this activity.

Remember that drones are also important tools for drone photogrammetry services and lidar services.

Contact us for more information about our drone services.

Learn more about Acero Estudio

Take into account that Acero Estudio provides various services dedicated to reducing construction risks such as:

Contact us and request a quote for our services, we are here to assist you.

Geodesy, drone flight and laser scanning: Minera Volcan, Cerro De Pasco

geodesia para minera volcan en peru

Technical File for the Expansion of the Neutralization Plant, Minera Volcan, Cerro De Pasco

The Acero Estudio team in Peru carried out geodesy, drone flight and 3D laser scanning of the area planned for the expansion of the Volcan Mining Neutralization Plant in Cerro de Pasco.

These tasks were carried out under all preventive measures and medical examinations due to the existing COVID-19 pandemic.

Once all the requirements requested by Volcan were exceeded, the Acero Estudio team in Peru traveled from Lima to the work area.

Work in the project area began with the placement of Geodetic Points linked to the mining company’s coordinate system and their measurement using dual-frequency differential GPS.

Next, the necessary support points were located for the subsequent restoration of the drone flight. These support points were marked with lime and measured with GPS in RTK mode.

The drone flight of about 12 Ha was carried out at low altitude (60 m) to obtain greater definition of the terrain and existing elements such as buildings, pipes, etc. For this, a DJI Phantom 4 Pro drone with a 20 Mpx camera was used.

After the drone flight, laser scanning was carried out of the specific areas where the expansion of the neutralization plant will be carried out.

241 scans were performed using the FARO 3D S120 scanner with which all essential information was collected, measurements, high quality and dynamic range (HDR) image volumes and millions of 3D points obtained in seconds, with a full capture range of 360 degrees, where the resolution, quality of the points and light intake were adjusted to adequately adapt to the capture of the scene from multiple points of view, different lighting conditions, installations and distances to the facades.

In the office, a record of the scans was obtained and 3D modeling of the main facilities that were the object of the project was carried out.

We thank our client SUEZ for the trust placed in our team and the work of coordinating and directing the work carried out.

Learn more about Acero Estudio

Take into account that Acero Estudio provides various services dedicated to reducing construction risks such as:

Contact us and request a quote for our services, we are here to assist you.

The drone, our great ally in aerial photogrammetry

dron

The photogrammetric flight with a drone is one of the most used techniques currently in inspections and monitoring of works and at Acero Estudio we offer this type of service

Thanks to photogrammetric drone flight, we convert two-dimensional data into three-dimensional information, since it allows us to calculate the dimensions and positions of objects in space from measurements made on aerial photographs.

Our drone fleet is equipped with GPS technology and follow programmed flight routes, performing very precise and stable flights, ideal for achieving optimal results and great advantages. The use of these has increased the possibilities of exploitation of images, allowing the automatic generation of height models, ortho images and stereo-images as well as the creation and visualization of three-dimensional models.

Furthermore, with the use of this technology, a faster and more personalized service is achieved for each project. Photogrammetry with drones has made it possible to speed up processes, reduce costs, reduce operational risks and provide high-quality images.

For the restitution of 3D images with drones to be accurate, in addition to great knowledge of the terrain, we need correct flight planning, since this is where we find the main difficulty of the mission. The drone flight must be stable and constant to obtain elements of the front, rear and side images, that is, the photographs captured must have a high amount of overlap between images, approximately 80% in each photograph.

As we can see, drones have become our great ally in this sector. It is vitally important that the flight is carried out by professional experts such as those at Acero Estudio, specialists in photogrammetry, to obtain the best results! Contact us to resolve any questions or to collaborate with us and take a look at Drones to learn more.

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Take into account that Acero Estudio provides various services dedicated to reducing construction risks such as:

Contact us and request a quote for our services, we are here to assist you.

What types of projects are suitable for 3D laser scanning?

Láser Escáner 3D

3D Laser Scanning is one of the most relevant services in the industry

This means of data capture is transforming work methods and simplifying all processes since it offers great advantages derived from its use. At Acero Estudio we are specialized in the scanning and modeling of railway lines and industrial plants, among others…

You may be wondering: What types of projects are suitable for 3D laser scanning?

This technology can be used for almost all projects, although in certain projects, either due to its simplicity in measurement or because it requires many changes in scanner position, it may not be the best option. In cases like these, do not hesitate to consult with us, without obligation, and we will help you find the best solution. However, if you work with topographic surveying or engineering projects, the 3D laser scanner will always be your best ally.

Contact us and request more information about our 3d Laser Scanner Services.

Topography and Drones, A Perfect Combination

retocada

In the current era, marked by technological advancements and a growing demand for efficiency across multiple sectors, the combination of surveying services and drones has emerged as a perfect alliance. This synergistic collaboration between surveying and drone technology has unlocked a wide range of applications and opportunities that are radically transforming the way we approach supervision, construction, and planning projects.

The use of drones in surveying is extremely versatile, and while their applications are varied, they particularly excel in construction and facility monitoring. At Acero Estudio, a company specialized in surveying, we have recognized the potential of this combination and have successfully implemented it in numerous projects.

A critical aspect in the preparation of any project, especially in the realm of large-scale public and civil works, is the meticulous study of the environment where the future action will take place. Precision and comprehensive understanding of terrain conditions are essential to ensure construction success and to avoid potential complications or delays in the process. This is where drones make their triumphant entrance, allowing for quick and precise detailed inspections and visual detection of potential obstacles.

The speed and efficiency of drones in this context are unparalleled. Before the era of drones, collecting topographic data involved lengthy manual procedures and costly ground operations. However, with the deployment of drones equipped with advanced sensors, surveying has become much more accessible and efficient. Drones can fly over extensive areas in a matter of minutes and provide detailed data ranging from terrain topography to the identification of key features such as buildings, roads, or vegetation.

One of the most notable benefits of using drones in surveying is their ability to capture high-quality images and videos. These images and recordings offer a precise visual representation of the current state of a work in progress, greatly facilitating the presentation and analysis of project execution progress. There is no longer a need to rely solely on abstract data or written reports; drones provide a comprehensive and detailed real-time view of the work.

This visual aspect is particularly useful for communication and collaboration in construction projects. Images and videos captured by drones can be easily shared with all stakeholders, from engineers and architects to clients and regulatory authorities. This transparency and clarity in data presentation can help avoid misunderstandings, clarify doubts, and streamline decision-making, thereby contributing to keeping the project within the established schedule and budget.

Furthermore, the use of drones in surveying extends beyond monitoring ongoing works. They are also employed in the initial planning stages of projects, allowing for a detailed assessment of terrain conditions before the first stone is laid. This is essential for identifying potential geographical or environmental challenges that may arise during construction. The ability to anticipate and address these challenges from the outset can prevent costly setbacks and design modifications later in the process.

Another significant advantage of drones in surveying is their ability to conduct periodic inspections and track project progress. Scheduled flight repetitions throughout the project allow for close monitoring of construction evolution and detection of any deviations from the original plan. This real-time tracking capability enables more effective resource management and a quick response to any issues that may arise during construction.

The integration of surveying and drones in the construction industry has proven to be a winning combination. The precision, efficiency, and ability to present detailed visual data offer invaluable value in the planning, monitoring, and execution of construction projects. In summary, the synergy between surveying and drones is paving the way for a more efficient and accurate future in the construction industry, benefiting all parties involved and ultimately the quality of the infrastructures we build.

Contact us to learn more about our surveying services as well as drone photogrammetry. We are at your service.