We work with architecture, engineering, and construction management firms that would like to leverage the advantages of drones during the investigative phase of a building façade restoration and remediation project. Drone-based geospatial data collection provides timely details and data needed to locate and visualize a variety of anomalies. This quick acquisition of data in hard-to-reach locations is invaluable in developing initial scopes of work by delivering meaningful and actionable information about a project site condition.
Volatus Unmanned Services provides nationwide mission-based drone flight plans and close proximity vertical inspections reinforced by our experienced, knowledgeable, and professional FAA-certified drone pilots, data analysts, and software engineers. Drone technology today can be utilized in dozens of applications where physical inspection of buildings and infrastructure in areas that are extremely difficult, if not impossible, to reach can today be deployed by specialty drones.
Volatus Unmanned Services’ focus is on the investigation, documentation, and quantification of existing conditions in the course of an inspection. Our clients use the results of these aerial inspections to present a more fully developed scope of work for budgeting, phasing, scheduling, and bidding for repair and maintenance work. We have helped companies save up to 10 times their traditional inspection costs by replacing the use of scaffolding/rope access with comprehensive drone inspection systems.
Regardless of the application, our team operates in full compliance with FAA Part 107, Small Unmanned Aircraft Regulations. In addition, all of our aircraft are registered, and each of our highly scrutinized and vetted operators holds a Remote Pilot Certificate.
As a company committed to innovative and time-saving technology solutions, Volatus Unmanned Services is always seeking to improve our services for clients. We are dedicated to addressing clients’ specific needs while devoting time and resources to educate any audience interested in learning more about the latest innovations and challenges in spatial data collection, processing, and drone operations.
When hands-on access is not feasible, or the inspection areas are impossible to access safely, high-resolution imaging, video, and 3D modeling taken by a drone can be utilized to characterize the structure and the condition of materials and adjacent components. A drone flight can also serve as a reconnaissance survey, helping the project team to identify areas of concern for further investigation by licensed engineering firms.
For spatial datasets and the significant computing power required to process them, the need for quality raw data places vital importance on the data collection stage of a project. Volatus Unmanned Services operates using a streamlined and vertically integrated workflow that ensures quality and efficiency from mission planning to data capture to processing. Drone-mounted infrared cameras can detect water infiltration and help to characterize hidden structural components.
Drone inspections utilizing AI can detect and analyze different types of building materials, ranging from brick masonry, stucco, concrete, and more. Most advanced drone services companies, such as Volatus Unmanned Services, are familiar with and work often with computer vision, which is a narrow form of AI (artificial intelligence). In the last few years, there has been an explosion of capabilities that achieve faster than human results. By combining computer vision with machine learning that provides functional AI, drones can be trained to detect, monitor, and classify damage in building structures both horizontally and vertically.
To facilitate review and analysis, our clients have access to our own web-based inspection portal called ConnexiCore Cloud™. In addition to providing an efficient method of reviewing and annotating thousands of drone images, it can also include images that are automatically analyzed by AI.
Depending on the need, we can also return on a regular basis, such as every quarter, every six months, or annually, to quickly assess changes via AI. The provides the opportunity to see where there’s unexpected accelerated change in a damaged area and get ahead of the curve. This can help both in terms of downstream safety issues, as well as a lower cost to repair before an issue becomes a bigger problem.
Algorithms do not learn completely by themselves. are not like humans. They are trained by humans who have annotated thousands of images. Once you’ve trained it, it doesn’t get tired or bored. It shows the same efficacy whether it’s the first image or hundred thousandth image.
The drone mapping process can identify hairline cracks, large spalling exposed rebar, efflorescence, and various other damaging conditions. So how would this technology change the way major engineering firms and forensics firms do their job? It is going to be as simple as hiring a competent drone services firm and flying pre-planned autonomous flight plans on each structure that is inspected. But how do you make sense of all this data? How do you convert that data into actionable information and solve the problem? The Volatus Unmanned Services Image Analytics team can make it simpler for engineers to review actual damage conditions instead of having to pour over hundreds of thousands of images.
Find out what you need to know when hiring a drone service, and learn about creative ways that different industries use drones to improve data, reduce risk, and achieve business objectives.
