Following their research into the Droneport—a project that explores the potential of an ‘infrastructural leap’ using cutting edge technology to surmount the challenges of the future—Foster + Partners is now working with Be Tomorrow UK, the UK arm of a leading autonomous drone software developer, to develop a drone-based solution to accurately detect clashes and potential snagging issues on construction sites.

The project aims to create a reliable and cost-effective system that can map construction sites and help compare the as-built environment with the proposed design on a continuous basis, thereby eliminating potentially expensive construction errors and delays. Such a service will offer significant benefits to the construction industry, helping lower overall project costs and risk, while increasing quality and client confidence, for a relatively small investment.

Be Tomorrow has worked on a wide array of drone related research and implementations, from the medical world to the entertainment industry. Most recently, their work was on display at an awards show in Paris and Britain’s Got Talent, where a gaggle of their drones were choreographed along with human performers.

Developing this solution involves overcoming several technical challenges, the most significant being the development of a suitable autonomous mapping solution that works in the complex and demanding environment of a live construction site. The objective is to build a working prototype for this service that can be used to demonstrate its potential for large-scale projects.

This project will build on Be Tomorrow’s drone related work since 2007, as well as Foster + Partners’ innovative approach to BIM and construction management. The research and development has been co-funded by a grant from the UK’s innovation agency, Innovate-UK. In the end, if it is good enough for Simon Cowell, it should be good enough for us.