Remote construction supervision technologies the use of UAVs, satellite imagery, and mobile applications for rapid detection of hidden work and confirmation of production volumes

Abstract

The study examines the possibilities of modernizing the construction control system using unmanned aerial vehicles, satellite monitoring and mobile applications to detect hidden work and confirm the volume of production operations. The aim of the work is to quantify the impact of remote technologies on labor costs, measurement accuracy, detection of defects and economic indicators of the object's life cycle. The research materials include data from field tests at eighteen capital construction sites for various purposes, as well as the results of processing aerial photographs of laser scanning and ultra-high-resolution satellite images. The methodology includes a comparison of the traditional inspection approach with digital scenarios based on photogrammetry of lidar measurements and integrated mobile platforms using statistical analysis of correlation and regression models and cost-effectiveness calculations using indicators of net present value, internal rate of return and payback period. The results obtained show a reduction in the total labor costs of inspection personnel by more than five times, an increase in the accuracy of determining the volume of work performed, while reducing the relative error to about one percent, as well as an increase in the completeness of defect detection to values close to one hundred percent, while reducing the proportion of false positives. Economic modeling demonstrates a significant reduction in direct operating costs and defect repair costs, which ensures a return on investment in a digital remote control system, within the first year of the project. The discussion highlights the role of the created digital footprint and digital models of structures in reducing the influence of the human factor, reducing the risk of data falsification and speeding up the resolution of disputes between construction participants, which justifies the feasibility of integrating remote technologies into the regulatory and organizational practice of construction control. Additionally, it is shown that the effectiveness of various combinations of technologies depends on the type of facility, the stage of construction and the scale of the site, therefore, practical recommendations have been formed for choosing the configuration of the complex for linearly extended structures of high-rise buildings and compact industrial facilities. The limitations of the study related to regulatory barriers to the use of individual equipment models and the need for further automation of data processing are noted, however, even with these limitations, a sustained positive effect of the introduction of remote monitoring in the construction quality management system has been demonstrated.