2020 has arrived

The Shortage Of Skilled Labour In Construction
This has been an ongoing issue since 2008. Attrition of the labour force due to the retirement of the older generations, layoffs and downsizing, has depleted the resource. It remains difficult to attract younger generations who have spurned construction jobs in favour of other more tech-focused industries.

In an effort to address the shortage, construction associations and contractors have had to become innovative with regard to recruitment.

New, Powerful Data Analytics Solutions
True business intelligence obtained by harnessing the power of information with modern technologies allows contractors to forecast and future-proof their business Detailed data collection and reporting solutions.

By integrating data throughout the organization and across projects new, powerful data analytic solutions allow contractors to easily collect and evaluate vast amounts of information. As with all things in the world of software development, better and more powerful analytical tools are created continually.

A Drones Eye View
One of the advancements in technology that has (and will continue to have) a great impact on the construction industry is the use of drones.

Back in the days before drones, not that long ago either, taking an accurate areal view of a construction site or project was a very costly undertaking. The rapid advance in the technological capabilities of drones has been evident for a while now and shows no sign of slowing down in 2020. As with much of the electronic tech industry prices actually come down as the number of units sold increases.

Some of the aspects that make these small flying machines so powerful are…
Increased platform stability: Computer control, accelerometers, distance sensors, and gyroscopes in the drone increase the ease and stability of flight by making minute adjustments. Add a GPS system and you can almost get rid of the human entirely.
Advanced imaging capability:The latest drones use integrated gimbals, which also include inbuilt gyro stabilization technology making the on-board camera practically vibration-free. This allows the capture of perfect aerial film and photos.
Dedicated Software: Software has been specifically developed to process the raw visual data captured by the drone. Current software even allows visual imaging to be processed into accurate, even 3D & orthomosaic, maps. Already sophisticated, ongoing innovation in software shows no sign of slowing down in 2020.

Drones in the construction industry are already being used for…
Pre-planning
Reporting to customers
Identifying safety concerns
Tracking progress and identifying potential problems/delays
Monitoring productivity and accountability on-site 

A 15-minute drone flight, a drone can gather the same visual data that would take a surveyor half a day to collect by walking on foot. With numbers like that, why wouldn’t you?