“A drone photo is worth a thousand words and potentially a million dollars.” That is the message I want people to walk away with. I built mine piece by piece, eventually fine-tuning a process that is helping commercial construction companies find new ways to approach site management.
Even though the military has been utilizing drones since 1917, the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) did not issue the first commercial drone permit until 2006. These permits helped lift some of the limitations placed on consumer drones flown for recreational purposes. In doing so, it opened up new possibilities for companies or professionals wanting to use drones in assorted business ventures, such as real estate. The beauty of using a drone is that it can be a strategic investment for companies of any size.
Today, I work with my clients on construction surveys, which is one of the many uses drones offer. These surveys, which include progress photos, as well as measurements and placement of structures and stockpiles, provide a broader “birds-eye view” of the entire construction project from beginning to end. It also saves time for unforeseen obstructions, which can be avoided once the photos are overlaid to the actual plans of the project. There are also a number of apps, such as Drone Deploy, which can help simplify the drone pilot’s planning schedule.

The beauty of using a drone is that it can be a strategic investment for companies of any size.

For example, by utilizing the Drone Deploy App, a pilot can simply select the area he needs to photograph, and the app will calculate the flight pattern for the drone automatically. The app then generates the map, which completes the last step for the drone to be deployed.
There are others, too. Take Litchi App, which enables you to pre-program a drone to fly a specific flight path and takes photos or videos at predetermined locations so your client receives the exact photo or video every time the drone is deployed.
Why is this important? It saves the drone pilot a ton of time by allowing the drone to fly autonomously week after week. It is a win-win for everyone.
And here’s the beauty—drones practically drive themselves. So while the history of drones may be more than 100 years old, technology advancements are helping take the process to new heights by changing the game in communication and offering unprecedented amounts of data on every aspect of a job.

* Robert Biggs is owner of Phoenix Drone Pros (phoenixdronepros.com), A drone pilot, photographer and videographer, Biggs helps provide the total package through aerial videography and drone photography. His extensive portfolio includes residential and commercial real estate, construction site mapping, special events, and more.