Construction Industry — Researchers Highlight Drones' Potential to Make Projects More Efficient and Sustainable

Construction Industry — Researchers Highlight Drones’ Potential to Make Projects More Efficient and Sustainable

Written by Fabio Lucas Carvalho

Published on 24/04/2025 at 15:07

Updated on 24/04/2025 at 15:15

Foto: IA

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The Future of Construction May Be in the Skies — Literally. Researchers and engineers are betting on drones capable of performing tasks such as concrete application, structure installation, and even 3D printing in hard-to-reach locations. The technology promises faster construction, with fewer accidents and less waste, contributing to a more sustainable and efficient sector.

Researchers from Imperial College London and the University of Bristol released a study indicating flying robots as a new alternative for civil construction.

The proposal is to use drones equipped with special manipulators to deposit materials in mid-flight, in a technique called Aerial Additive Manufacturing (Aerial AM).

This method arises in response to current challenges, such as the lack of housing and the need for more sustainable construction.

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Practical and Technical Advantages

Unlike ground systems, aerial robots are not tied to solid ground. This allows them to operate in steep or elevated locations, overcoming physical barriers common on construction sites. Additionally, they can operate with greater productivity and cause less environmental impact.

In an article published in the journal Science Robotics, scientists explain how they created an autonomy framework to control these drones. Among the biggest challenges are precision in depositing materials, coordinated flight of multiple drones, and use in large-scale projects.

Challenges and Ongoing Testing

According to Dr. Basaran Bahadir Kocer from the University of Bristol, the technology is still in its early stages.

He states that issues such as the durability of the materials used, location systems in outdoor areas, and coordination between multiple robots in the same space still need to be resolved.

Despite this, initial tests are showing good results. The drones have already managed to perform quick repairs and assemble modular structures. These advancements indicate that Aerial MA has the potential to be applied in various sectors.

Testing is being conducted at the DroneHub, a research center located at EMPA in Switzerland, where the robots can be evaluated outside of the laboratory environment.

Construction Industry — Researchers Highlight Drones’ Potential to Make Projects More Efficient and Sustainable

Practical and Technical Advantages

Challenges and Ongoing Testing

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Construction Industry — Researchers Highlight Drones’ Potential to Make Projects More Efficient and Sustainable

Practical and Technical Advantages

Challenges and Ongoing Testing

With billions in loans, China is rebuilding Nigeria’s railway network from scratch, abandoning the British colonial tracks that have turned to scrap and creating a corridor of over 1,300 km to take the load off the roads of Africa’s largest economy.

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Austrian engineers have developed an inflatable concrete technology that transforms flat slabs into domes using only air pressure, eliminating scaffolding and temporary forms, and potentially changing the way bridges, tunnels, and curved roofs are constructed worldwide.

Australia prepares to dredge 96.5 million m³ in Moreton Bay to deepen, widen, and realign channels of the Port of Brisbane, in a project of up to 25 years designed to accommodate larger ships and enhance maritime safety and regional port efficiency.

A robot named Walter does the work of five bricklayers per hour and can save the construction industry, where the average age of professionals is 46 years and almost no one wants to learn the trade anymore, in the United Kingdom.

Cristiano Ronaldo builds a billion-dollar mansion in Portugal with 54,000 square feet, a 3-acre plot facing the Atlantic, private spa, indoor and outdoor pools, and an estimated value of an impressive R$ 385 million.

Portugal installs two giant underwater sockets to draw water from the Atlantic and create a €107.9 million desalination plant in the Algarve capable of producing 43.2 million liters of potable water per day with ocean intake 2 km from the coast.

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