The construction industry is entering a high-tech era, and drones are leading the charge.
Once the domain of hobbyists or military operators, unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) are now essential tools on jobsites. They’re not just improving project efficiency but are redefining what’s possible.
From creating digital twins of jobsites to safeguarding materials and optimizing equipment use, drones are streamlining workflows, enhancing safety and giving construction professionals powerful new ways to manage and monitor projects in real time.
Few people understand this transformation better than David Daly, chief pilot, training manager and UAV expert at High Stakes University. A Marine Corps veteran with experience in aerospace, real estate, defense and technology, Daly brings a unique perspective on how drone technology is reshaping construction from the ground up.
Key Takeaways
- Drones deliver real-time progress monitoring through 2D/3D mapping and live transmission feeds.
- UAVs provide flexible site security that extends beyond fixed cameras or personnel patrols.
- Drones streamline asset tracking and volumetric calculations, helping teams stay on schedule.
- Emerging tech like AI, automation and robot-dog integration is pushing drone use even further.
From Combat to Construction: Daly’s UAV Journey
Daly’s entry into the drone industry started in a deeply personal place. After serving four tours in Iraq and one in Afghanistan, he returned to civilian life facing the mental health challenges of post-traumatic stress disorder.
“When I was flying,” Daly shared, “I noticed that I got relief from some PTSD symptoms like hypervigilance and worrying.” Encouraged by his wife, Daly pursued drone flying as a potential career path—just as the commercial drone industry was beginning to take off.
In 2017, he founded a drone services company and later co-launched High Stakes University. The organization now trains professionals in construction, law enforcement, security and hospitality, teaching not just FAA-compliant drone operation, but also how to apply drones in complex real-world scenarios.
Progress Monitoring in Real Time: Digital Twins and Live Feeds
For construction professionals, drones are transforming how project progress is documented and communicated—especially when it comes to stakeholder reporting and contractual obligations.
“If you had certain phases that needed to be completed,” Daly explained, “the drone can quickly go over that. Because of the capabilities it has, it can map that out in a 2D or 3D fashion so that it can very quickly be shared with stakeholders in the organization. A lot of times that’s also tied into contractual obligations where that can be shared with clients as well.”
One of the most impactful applications is the creation of digital twins—precise virtual replicas of construction sites. These allow teams to detect changes over time, assess delays or progress and make faster decisions.
“Let’s say the next week you do the same thing—you can compare the two and the software will pick out what’s changed,” said Daly. “This becomes a great reporting tool—to be able to say at a progress meeting: ‘Here’s where we’re at; this is what we need to change or adjust in order to get back on schedule,’ or ‘We’re ahead of schedule.’”
Drones also allow for live transmission feeds, adding real-time visibility to project meetings. “You could do a live transmission feed in the middle of a meeting of the drone flying over so people can say, ‘I want to get a better look at that. Can we bring the drone closer into there?’ That’s the main way that it’s used for progress monitoring on a site,” Daly added.
Securing the Job Site: Drones as Autonomous Guardians
Construction sites are vulnerable environments; they’re often left unattended overnight with expensive equipment and materials in place. Drones offer a game-changing advantage in jobsite security.
“A drone doesn’t have the limitations of things like security cameras,” said Daly. “They can go to whatever position you want them to.”
Autonomous drone solutions—sometimes called “drones in a box”—can be programmed to patrol set routes 24/7, offering continuous surveillance and data capture. Unlike stationary cameras, drones provide mobility, adaptability and greater visibility over large or irregular sites.
On-site personnel can also take manual control to conduct additional sweeps of high-risk or newly vulnerable areas, giving teams flexibility to respond in real time.
Asset Tracking and Equipment Efficiency
Beyond safety and monitoring, drones are also helping contractors track and manage expensive equipment more efficiently—especially across large-scale or multi-phase projects.
“If one team is not using [an asset] but they’re scheduled for it,” Daly explained, “you can have that drone track that and say: ‘They’re not using the macro now; let’s bring it to the other team so that they can use it and move along the schedule more efficiently.’”
Drones also simplify once-manual workflows like volumetric calculations, which traditionally required survey crews to measure material piles.
“You can fly a drone over a pile of gravel—it’ll do a volumetric calculation and instantly spit out for you: this is how many tons of rock you have or if you need to order more,” said Daly.
What’s Next: AI, Machine Learning and Robot Dogs
While drones are already transforming today’s construction workflows, emerging technologies are pushing the boundaries even further.
“Drones on their own—or if you have a pilot that’s flying them—can do terrific things,” said Daly. “But when you start looking at a lot of the platforms that are out now, they have AI, machine learning and automation built into them where you can eliminate a lot of the human factor within that.”
Some of the most cutting-edge applications include:
- Thermal mapping for detecting energy loss, such as heat escaping from rooftops.
- Swarming technology, where multiple drones collaborate and share data across a jobsite.
- Ground-based robotics integration, including robot dogs that coordinate with drones for site walkthroughs and safety scans.
“There’s technology now—the drone and the ground base asset like the robot dog—they can integrate each other’s information so you can have it before everybody even gets to a site,” Daly noted. “You can have the drone in the sky and the dog on the ground going around and checking for any safety issues or if something is out of place that shouldn’t be.”
Building Smarter, Safer and More Efficient Sites
As Daly’s experience demonstrates, drones are not just a futuristic add-on; they’re quickly becoming core infrastructure for modern construction teams. From improving communication and site security to unlocking time and cost savings, UAVs are proving their value on projects of all sizes.
With automation, AI and integrated robotics on the rise, the future of construction is increasingly being built—and protected—by eyes in the sky.