208: The Rise of Drones in Construction

Dr. Joe Burgett, professor in the Nieri Family Department of Construction Science and Management at Clemson University, aka Dr. Drone, joins us for episode 208 of Art of Construction.  On our recent episode with Matthew Byrd, we discussed the plethora of reality-capturing tech products and services that are being heavily utilized in construction. All of them are astonishing and useful if implemented properly. But as we know, fear is the most common factor in trying new things, especially new technologies. Today we’re literally flying away from fear as we zoom in on drone technology and all the incredible advantages general contractors acquire by becoming a drone pilot or having one on their team.   Being in the building industry for a decade prior to teaching, Dr. Joe Burgett has seen the issues that happen in the field, and the difficulty of improving processes if you’re preoccupied with other chaos at hand. Through his research to make the lives of contractors somehow easier, he discovered that drones and their data aid in making better decisions out on the field.  Now, he teaches a class dedicated to drones at Clemson University, specifically for contractors and surveyors. From capturing the perfect video footage for marketing materials, to inspecting field work in real time, to broadcasting data offsite, to creating 3D models, the sky is the limit on a drone’s capabilities. And the best part of all? You don’t need to be an IT mastermind to effectively operate one.  Join Joe and Devon as they discuss the many uses and benefits of drones within our industry, the class that Dr. Drone offers at Clemson, and how with better information on projects, we can provide better services to our clients and build better buildings.  Learn more about Dr. Burgett’s online drone course for contractors and sign up for the next session at www.clemsondrone.com.