Hospitality Archives - ��ý Construction

Eyes in the Sky: How drones support risk management on construction sites

nisaschmitz — Wed, 20 May 2026 16:58:50 +0000

Publication: , May/June 2026

On most construction sites, risk often hides in blind spots — on rooftops, behind façades, and within small misalignments that lead to costly rework or litigation. Contractors are increasingly turning to drones, not as a marketing tool, but as a component of their risk management strategy to reshape how projects are documented, monitored, and protected. Aside from capturing images, drones can also generate defensible data, reduce exposure, and provide visibility that traditional methods cannot match.

For many firms, the shift is deliberate. ��ý Construction’s drone program sits squarely within its risk management department.

“��ý’s drone program lives in our risk management department because its primary function is to to support our people and construction operations to drive safer and higher quality outcomes,” said Charles Wilson, vice president of risk management at ��ý, a member of multiple AGC chapters. “Given the increased demand for drone flights for safety, quality, and production needs, it made financial sense to invest in our own drone program.”

Data Collection

Drones generate measurable, timestamped, and verifiable data that can stand up in disputes, audits, and claims. Contractors using drones rely on 2D maps, 3D models, and geospatially accurate imagery to create precise project conditions. These datasets allow teams to quantify earthwork, verify installations, and compare progress against design without stepping foot in a hazardous area. Traditional inspections often require ladders, lifts, or scaffolding. Drones offer a safer alternative and allow teams to capture detailed data without putting people in harm’s way. In addition, drones give access to remote stakeholders who are not on-site every day but can sometimes hold up decision-making processes if they cannot see the reality on site.

“The amount of data collected in a short flight surpasses the amount that a person inspecting an installation can provide on their own,” said Wilson. “Anytime we can eliminate the need for a person to work at an elevated position is a win.”

Beyond safety, contractors can also document site conditions daily, creating a record that can resolve disputes before they escalate. Matt Daly, CMO for , an AGC of California and TEXO member, has hundreds of stories from contractors who have saved money because of their drone programs.

“Giving contractors one source of truth for what is happening on site is massively useful,” said Daly. “One contractor avoided a $250,000 delay claim by using drone imagery to prove materials were on site when claimed, invalidating allegations. Another contractor had a $45,000 backcharge withdrawn because aerial overlays proved that a driveway slab matched the plan.”

By providing high-frequency, sitewide visibility, drones enable remote owners, engineers, and inspectors to verify progress, assess conditions, and make faster decisions. This reduces information delays. In addition, consistent aerial data can help teams identify issues before they become costly problems.

FAA Regulations and Airspace

Construction drone operations are governed by the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA), and compliance is a critical component of risk management. At a minimum, commercial drone operators must hold a Part 107 Remote Pilot Certificate by passing an FAA knowledge exam and staying current with ongoing training.

Airspace considerations can also add some complexity. Projects located near airports or in controlled airspace require
advance authorization through systems like LAANC (Low Altitude Authorization and Notification Capability). However, many drone platforms include built-in airspace awareness tools that alert operators to restrictions and facilitate authorization requests.

The regulatory landscape continues to evolve, especially with the FAA’s proposed Part 108 rule on beyond visual line of sight (BVLOS) operations. The proposed framework, outlined in a 2025 Federal Register notice, aims to normalize routine BVLOS flights by establishing requirements for detect-and-avoid systems, airspace coordination, and operational oversight. For construction, BVLOS restrictions are one of the biggest barriers to drone operations, so easing limitations could allow drones to cover larger sites more efficiently and enable automated, scheduled data capture.

“The FAA’s proposed Part 108 rule is a big deal because it would move drone flights beyond one-off approvals and into a clear, nationwide set of rules that allows companies to fly drones BVLOS on a regular basis,” said Logan Decker, ��ý’s drone operator. “Instead of needing special waivers each time, operators would have a consistent path to run larger, more efficient drone programs that can cover much bigger geographic areas per flight. This shift would reduce time and labor costs and unlock high-value use cases.”

Insurance: Coverage, Requirements, and Opportunities

While drone insurance is not mandated by the FAA, it is not optional in practice. Many project owners require contractors to carry specific liability coverage for drone operations, often through preauthorization requirements. Coverage structures can vary with some policies tied to individual operators and others that cover broader organizational use.

On the upside, drones can offer a path to reduced insurance costs over time. By improving documentation, reducing accidents, and enabling early issue detection, drones can lower the frequency and severity of claims.

Data Ownership and Security

As drones generate more sophisticated data, questions around ownership and control are becoming more prominent. In most cases, data ownership is defined by contract. Owners may require access to all documentation, while contractors may retain rights to use the data for internal purposes. Third-party providers may use anonymous data to improve their services, but they typically do not claim ownership or share project data externally without permission.

Security is equally critical. With sensitive project information at stake, providers are investing in certifications, access controls, and data governance protocols to ensure that only authorized users can access information.

Policy, Procurement, and Geopolitical Risk

Beyond project-level considerations, broader policy shifts also shape the drone landscape. Federal scrutiny of foreign-made drones, for example, has introduced new considerations around procurement and cybersecurity. In December, President Trump banned the sale of new foreign-manufactured drones amid growing concerns surrounding data security and supply chain integrity. However, the FCC recently exempted some of those models. For contractors, it is important to stay up to date with changing policies to ensure they maintain compliance since these policies can influence equipment selection and vendor relationships.

Less Adoption Challenges

Some contractors remain hesitant to adopt drone technology because of perceived complexity, regulatory hurdles, and safety risks. However, many of these barriers are diminishing. Contractors can choose to build in-house drone programs or use third-party providers who handle compliance, data capture, and processing. Training resources are widely available, and the technology itself has become more reliable and user-friendly.

“The biggest challenge with launching a drone program is getting employees to adjust to conducting safety inspections and other protocols in a new way,” said Decker. “Forming new habits takes time. Once our team experienced the advantages of the drone program, flight requests dramatically increased.”

Automation and AI

Looking ahead, the next phase of drone-enabled risk management is already taking shape.

Automated “drone-in-a-box” systems can capture data on a schedule without human intervention, ensuring consistent documentation throughout the project. At the same time, artificial intelligence is transforming how that data is analyzed. AI-powered tools can now identify safety hazards, track progress, and compare conditions against schedules and design models in real time.

“We’ve only just begun integrating drones’ asset capture with AI’s safety monitoring,” said Wilson. “It is possible someday AI will use drone imagery to predict and prevent accidents from occurring.”

A New Standard of Care

As regulatory frameworks evolve, technologies mature, and usage expands, drones are becoming more than a competitive advantage — they are becoming a standard of care.

Having eyes in the sky may be one of the most effective ways to keep risk under control.

“Construction firms that haven’t adopted drones should explore the technology. The potential is significant: safer jobsites, stronger quality control, more accurate estimating, and smoother operations that can drive savings and set them apart competitively,” said Wilson.

The post Eyes in the Sky: How drones support risk management on construction sites appeared first on ��ý Construction.

��ý’s Drone Program Is Redefining Jobsite Innovation

nisaschmitz — Thu, 18 Dec 2025 20:28:03 +0000

Publication: , December 18, 2025

Drones provide excellent aerial video and images of construction projects, but their applications far surpass marketing purposes.��ý Construction��launched its drone program in 2024 to support preconstruction, safety, quality, operations and communication in addition to marketing efforts.

“Keeping at the forefront of industry trends is imperative to business growth and meeting customer expectations,” says Ryan ��ý, President of ��ý Construction. “But we don’t adopt new technology simply because it’s trendy. We built a successful drone program because of its wide applications and numerous benefits across our operations.”

Preconstruction

Drone technology can provide benefits even before boots hit the dirt. With drones, ��ý Construction can survey potential project sites or examine prospective buildings for a renovation project. Drones can evaluate the grade of the site and obstacles to construction.

For renovation projects, drones can ascertain existing roof conditions, building envelope tightness, quality of exterior building materials and site conditions, all within a fraction of the time it would take for a survey by foot.

When the client brings ��ý Construction into the project early enough in the planning process, the team can aid site selection and help the client avoid costly change orders through more precise planning.

For these reasons, drone technology also benefits ��ý Construction in building more accurate bids. ��ý recently bid on a project where the location of the build was identified; however, important property grading details were missing from the project documents.

“The more information we have, the more accurate and detailed we can be in our estimate,” says Ryan Diekemper, VP of Preconstruction at ��ý. “We need to know utility locations, if the site is balanced, if the layout requires retaining walls, and if obstacles necessitate removal. We engaged our drone team to provide this data so we could develop an ideal floor elevation, determine site earthwork needs, and calculate cut and fill.”

The drone readings, enhanced by the aid of geolocation, save the estimating team time as well. “If the ��ý team had to plot the site by hand, it probably would have taken four to eight hours to gather the data in the field and another four to eight hours to plot the data.

“Even after eight to 16 hours of effort, my calculations wouldn’t even come close to the precise measurements provided by the drone,” says Justin Dulle, Lead Estimator at ��ý Construction. “Drone technology enables us to seamlessly transfer the data points to the design team as measurements they can use and integrate into their programs.”

Safety

With Safety as a primary core value, ��ý Construction invests in on-site safety representatives who collaborate with the drone team to maximize protection for the company’s project teams and subcontractor partners.

Drone technology enables ��ý to monitor parts of the project site that are otherwise difficult to inspect or unsafe to access. “Drones are essential for monitoring safety, especially in areas not visible from the ground,” says Peter Ratermann, Senior Project Manager at Construction of the Old Monroe Distilling Co. Wedding & Tasting Venue in Columbia, Illinois. “I frequently check drone footage to verify that roofers adhered to safety protocols for working at heights since it’s difficult to assess from the ground.”

Through a digital interface, ��ý employees can review all the project’s drone footage and images in a single location, including examining all the photos ever captured at a specific location on the project site. Increasing project visibility provides another safeguard for identifying and remedying potential hazards before they become a problem.

Avoiding existing utility lines is a key safety concern for construction projects. Colin Kuhn, Project Manager at the renovation of Alton Mental Health Center’s Willow Building says projects like this that span more than a year will have the painted utility line markings eventually wash away. “We used the drone to record the utility locations so that we can identify their locations even after it rains.”

Quality

In this thermal image captured by a drone, the yellow spots on the solar panels suggest inconsistent energy performance. Drone technology also benefits Quality, another Core Value of ��ý Construction’s.

The architectural plans can be overlaid onto drone footage to ensure the definitive placement of the building on the project site. It can also be used to document product inconsistencies.

The ��ý team noticed that some of the black engineered wood siding was actually a different shade from the rest. It received a bad batch with two different shades of black. The difference was very deceiving and difficult to tell from the ground.

“We used the drones to record the siding progress, which more clearly captured the difference between the two colors and provided a great visual we could send to the manufacturer,” Ratermann says. “Using these photos, we were able to get a representative on site to evaluate, and they agreed to cover the cost of replacement. The drone shots helped significantly to reduce confusion.”

��ý’s drone fleet includes a model specifically used to create thermal maps. The drone can capture footage for the team to better assess infrastructure deficiencies of renovation projects, such as possible roof leaks or heat loss from insulation gaps, and can even evaluate the effectiveness of solar panels.

“When conducting a solar panel inspection, we’re looking for hotspots,” says Logan Decker, drone operator at ��ý Construction. “Areas that display as hotter than the surrounding space indicate malfunctioning individual grids within the panel not converting the solar energy as efficiently as the rest of the panel. As long as a panel isn’t partly shaded, the entire panel should display the same color.”

Decker recently provided images of problematic solar panels to a client so that they could rectify the issue.

Operations

At a Planet Fitness in Missouri, ��ý Construction used a drone to measure the site’s current subgrade elevation, which informed the team how much more dirt was required to achieve the desired grade. With many other projects in the area, the client requested to bring in excess crushed concrete and dirt from their other sites.

Drone technology also can be used to measure the height of concrete pads, as well as evaluate stockpile quantities. Another client needed to know how much product they had on site, and ��ý’s drone team assisted—one of the many benefits to hiring a team with advanced resources.

��ý Construction’s clients, their design teams and other business partners can monitor project progress by accessing drone footage on a digital platform. These images inform the design team when it’s time to visit the site to perform inspections. The inspection findings can then be overlaid onto a site map captured by drones to aid ��ý’s team in remedying any findings.

Community

��ý’s drone program gives the company an avenue for engaging the local community. The company founded NextGen, a program designed to connect students and teachers to the construction of their facilities and broaden their understanding of the career opportunities available in the construction industry. Drone demonstrations are always well-received by ��ý’s education clients.

Drone technology improves ��ý Construction’s efficiencies, operations, and bottom line — all of which improve clients’ experience — the ultimate goal of any ��ý Construction investment.

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Charlotte Spotlight: Keith ��ý, ��ý Construction

daniellebergmann — Thu, 05 Jan 2023 13:16:57 +0000

spoke with Keith ��ý, chairman and CEO of ��ý Construction, to discuss the major shifts that are occurring across the industry and why the Charlotte region is ripe for immense development growth.

What have been your key takeaways over the past two years?

We’ve got concerns in the construction industry as a whole. Supply chain issues continue impacting us and are among our biggest hurdles in making sure we’re monitoring and handling our procurement process. That’s a strategic initiative for us because these are global issues that are not going away anytime soon. Finding great talent will also continue to be a big challenge. For our firm, retaining that talent while offering training and upward mobility from within the organization is a big priority. We also want to make sure we’ve got good partners and subcontractors, monitoring their workload and creating an atmosphere where they’re successful.

The infrastructure bill and Inflation Reduction Act are game changers for the United States. The country hasn’t invested in infrastructure in over 50 years at this scale. Leaving it up to state and local governments to do it is not sustainable over that time, so it’s a huge shift.

How do strategic partnerships influence ��ý Construction’s success?

Partnerships vary based on the issue at hand, but having a good relationship and network of individuals that you can rely on in the event of an issue or obstacle, who you can call and cut through the red tape with, that is critical. Otherwise, it encumbers progress and puts project timelines in jeopardy. It’s especially important with subcontractors and supporting one another to a project’s completion.

On the economic development side, you’re building long-term relationships and not necessarily knowing where they’ll go at the start. If you cultivate relationships over time, they tend to bear fruit even if it’s five or 10 years down the road. To expand business and reinforce our talent pipeline, we are heavily involved as mentoring partners in many construction management institutions. Eastern Carolina University has a really strong construction management program we work with and support. Appalachian State University, likewise, has a great program that we partner with.

What is your view of corporate social responsibility in construction today?

The construction industry as a whole is lacking in diversity and inclusion, unfortunately. It is also our responsibility to work on that. It’s hard but absolutely necessary work if the industry is to evolve. We also want to recruit more women in construction. We recognize that this will be a process. However, some of our strongest leaders are women and that’s at all levels, from project managers, superintendents and quality control managers, to senior leadership. It’s something the industry must continue to work on. That’s part of our struggle as an industry, particularly with the trade labor shortages that we’re experiencing. You have to broaden your field of inclusion to not only move the needle on the issue but also to take care of staffing shortfalls along the way.

We also have a tremendous responsibility in terms of sustainability. There’s a lot we can do in terms of innovation in assisting with design recommendations for building more sustainable facilities and lowering our carbon footprint in society. It’s all a part of quality, ultimately, and a tremendous opportunity for us.

In what industries are you seeing the most growth in the Charlotte region?

Charlotte, and the Southeast broadly, is becoming a strong logistics hub across the entire United States. In North Carolina, we have the NC Towers energy initiative that will likely create significant growth in manufacturing and distribution in addition to positioning North Carolina as a clean energy producing state. Warehouse distribution space has had significant growth in the Charlotte region and we don’t see that changing, it could, in fact, keep growing. What’s happening on a global stage is that we’re seeing a lot of manufacturers looking at the United States as a safe place to do business.

On top of that, we have closer ties with Europe than Asia, so it’s creating new supply chain shifts at the global level from the West Coast to East Coast ports. Increasing port capacity and the supporting rail and highway infrastructure to handle that new volume is important. Charlotte sits in a strategic location in that regard. It’s close to several big ports, including Wilmington, Charleston and Savannah. From there, we’ve got a lot of rail and roadway capacity to bring product throughout to the Northeast.

How is technology impacting the construction industry?

You won’t get away from the human component anytime soon in construction. Where technology can really grow is in helping streamline processes. That could be in design development or building retrofits, as-built documentation, or validation of what’s installed versus what’s designed. We have drone technology to fly over areas of buildings and can, relatively quickly, validate that what’s installed is in accordance with the design documents.

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��ý Construction Completes Work at Seven Gables Inn

daniellebergmann — Tue, 28 Jan 2020 13:12:59 +0000

Publication: St. Louis Construction News & Review, January 2020

��ý Construction, a second-generation family-owned professional construction company, recently completed the Seven Gables Inn renovation in Clayton. As this hotel is listed on the National Register of Historic Places and remained operational during construction, the $3.5 million project required ��ý’s historic renovation and detailed schedule management expertise. Construction on the project began in January 2019 and was completed in fall 2019.

“The entire ��ý team was honored to have played a part in this great project for a client dedicated to enhancing communities in St. Louis,” said Keith ��ý, president of ��ý Construction. “We were truly blessed to have been chosen by Amy and Amrit Gill with Restoration St. Louis in order to help them deliver on their vision of this historic landmark in order to better serve their guests and provide them with a memorable and intimate experience.�� This project allowed us to showcase our team’s great work and detailed project management skills to complete this project on time and in budget.”

��ý Construction’s hospitality experts were engaged by Restoration St. Louis for overall interior upgrades, accessibility layout adjustments, and to replace their existing restaurant with an American Bistro called “Seven”.�� The renovation entailed interior finish updates with new bedroom furnishings, flooring, and bathroom fixtures, and exterior improvements such as new windows.�� For easier guest access, a bridge was constructed between the 2nd and 3rd��floor guest wings and an elevator was added.�� The new in-house American Bistro, “Seven” features expanded indoor and outdoor seating, is open to the public seven days a week, and offers reasonably priced dishes and a “Lost Legends” menu which pays homage to dishes from famous restaurants what are now closed.

“��ý’s reputation, particularly in hospitality and historic renovation, is second to none, and we’re excited that the project turned out so well,” said Amrit Gill, president of Restoration St. Louis. “The response from our guests and team members on the renovation has been overwhelmingly positive, and we’re thrilled that our 1926 historic gem has been restored to her former glory.”

Checkmate Design, LLC served as the architect for the renovation of Seven Gables Inn.

This article originally appeared in the January 2020 issue of St. Louis Construction News & Review.��

��Also featured in: St. Louis Business Journal, KSDK Online, Commercial Construction & Renovation, Construction Forum St. Louis, and REJournals.com.

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Hospitality Archives - ������ý Construction