Came around to the idea of drone surveys after a tricky current job

Honestly, for years, I figured drones were just for show on big jobs. Tbh, I saw them as extra cost with little gain. But last month, we had to inspect a pier in strong currents. The viz was terrible, and we wasted hours trying to locate the damage spots. Our supervisor brought in a drone for a quick flyover. It mapped the whole area in minutes, showing us exactly where to focus. Now, I push for drone scans on any site with poor conditions. It cuts down dive time and keeps the team safer. Ngl, I should have listened sooner.

3 comments

3 Comments

bell.evan6d ago

Saw a case study from a port in Florida where they used drone lidar after a storm. It found structural shifts in a seawall that divers had missed because the water was so full of debris. That thermal tip from @the_eric is solid, it's like getting a whole other layer of data without anyone getting in the water.

the_eric28d ago

Ever tried using a thermal camera on a drone for those inspections? We had a sewer outfall where the thermal picked up a temp difference from a leak we totally missed with just the camera. Also, for murky water, a basic multispectral scan can sometimes show silt plumes or changes in the bottom that a regular video won't. It's not just about seeing the thing, it's about reading the water around it. Saved us a bunch of guesswork on a river job last fall.

stone.barbara28d ago

That thermal trick @the_eric mentioned catches leaks early... before they turn into big expensive messes.