Drone Progress Tracking for Construction — From Flight to Owner-Ready Updates
Introduction
Progress meetings can drift into opinions. “We’re about 60% there,” “The south pad looks done,” “Utilities are almost wrapped.” Owners want timelines and proof; supers want everyone aligned; PMs need something that stands up in the record.
Drone progress tracking solves this by turning short, repeatable flights into clear, date-stamped updates that show exactly what changed since last week — with visuals you can trust and share in minutes. This post lays out a practical workflow: what to capture, how to keep it consistent, and how to package results so owners and executives actually use them.
What Progress Tracking Should Deliver (in one glance)
Where work advanced since the last update (side-by-side or swipe comparisons)
Milestones completed and what’s blocking the next ones
Visual proof for RFIs, changes, and weather delays
Shareable files that open on any device (and drop into Procore/BIM)
Rule of thumb: one tidy PDF for meetings + a short link to the live map or album for anyone who wants detail.
Start with the Audience: Who Needs What?
Owners / Executives
1–2 pages max; high level.
Before/after comparisons, labeled milestones, a few KPIs (e.g., pads complete, linear feet of utilities).
A 30–60 second video reel helps.
PMs / Supers
Map overlays with annotations (“Utilities to MH-3 complete,” “Area C subgrade prepped”).
Colorized progress heatmaps (what changed since last flight).
Links to original files when they need to drill down.
Trade Partners
Cropped images of their scope, so they can confirm sequence and access.
Callouts where interfaces matter (utility tie-ins, curb/gutter limits, staging).
Capture Once, Compare Forever: Make It Repeatable
Flight Planning (Consistency > Perfection)
Same plan every time: same altitude, grid, and boundaries.
Same day/time window: lighting consistency reduces shadows and stitching artifacts.
Overlap: 75–80% for reliable orthos; add a quick oblique ring for vertical context.
Wind & shadows: mornings are generally calmer; avoid low sun angles in winter.
Accuracy, Right-Sized
RTK/PPK: recommended when you’ll overlay CAD, quantify areas/lengths, or compare surfaces.
Checkpoints: 1–3 independent checks keep your accuracy report honest.
Coordinate System: confirm CRS/GEOID up front to avoid “wobble” from week to week.
Not every progress flight has to be survey-grade. Decide once: narrative visuals (faster) or measure-ready (RTK + checks). Don’t mix standards mid-project.
The Progress “Ladder” — From Simple to Sophisticated
Start small and add rungs as stakeholders lean in.
Orthomosaic (Base Map)
High-res, north-up overview with labels (areas A/B/C, laydown yards).
Great for meetings and markups.
Side-by-Side or Swipe Comparisons
Last week vs. this week; obvious change without words.
Mark milestones directly on the images.
Progress Heatmap (Change Detection)
Color where surface or texture changed. Helpful for earthwork, paving segments, utilities.
4K Aerial Clips / Timelapses
30–60 seconds; a few scenes with context cards (“Pad B graded 6/10–6/17”).
Designed for owners and exec summaries.
3D View / Point Cloud (Optional)
For grading checks or clash questions. Rotate, mark elevations, export snapshots.
Cut/Fill & Quantities (When Needed)
Weekly/biweekly surfaces compared to design; report CY for targeted areas (pads, roads).
Use when progress depends on moving dirt.
Packaging: Make It Owner-Ready in 10 Minutes
The One-Pager (Meeting-Ready PDF)
Header: project name, date, flight #, week #, weather window.
Hero image: current orthomosaic with zone labels.
Three callouts: “Area C subgrade to design,” “Utilities to MH-3 complete,” “Paving Phase 1 set 7/25.”
Small comparison panel: last week vs. this week (or a swipe screenshot).
Milestone list: 3–5 bullets, with next steps and blockers.
The Link for Power Users
A short URL (or QR) to the live map/album with:
Full orthos, obliques, and a few clips.
Folder naming like
YYMMDD_Project_Progress/…
CAD/Procore Hooks
Save the PDF in Procore under a consistent folder (
Survey/Imagery/Progress).If CAD overlays matter, export a georeferenced PDF and DWG with updated layers.
Workflow: From Field to Meeting
Capture: fly the plan, keep notes (wind, sun, anomalies).
Process: RTK/PPK if configured; run QC on edges, remove moving machines where needed.
Annotate: drop zone labels, arrows, and concise text.
Compare: generate side-by-side or swipe, capture a screenshot for the PDF.
Assemble: use a simple template for the one-pager; export small (screen-ready) and archive the big files.
Share: upload to Procore/drive; send link before the meeting.
Naming matters:
YYMMDD_Project_Progress.pdf
YYMMDD_Project_Ortho.tif
YYMMDD_Project_Clips/Scene01.mp4
Use Cases You’ll Rely On (Weekly Reality)
Schedule & Sequence Checks
Confirm prep is complete before a pour, or that access is open for the next trade.RFI & Change Support
Aerial context saves a thousand words; clip the view and attach it to the RFI.Weather & Delay Evidence
Show site condition the day of/after a storm — helpful for time impact logs.Safety & Housekeeping
Staging creep, blocked egress, open excavations: a quick visual checklist for the morning huddle.Owner Walkthroughs
Keep leaders aligned with visuals, not guesses.
Accuracy & QA Without the Headaches
Baseline once: pick CRS/GEOID, document it on page one, stick with it.
Checkpoints: a couple per site gives you a clean RMSE note for the appendix.
Light vs. heavy: if this week is “visual only,” say so on the one-pager; if it’s “measure-ready,” include the accuracy box.
Sample accuracy note:
Georeferenced capture using RTK; checkpoints yielded RMSEh 0.03 ft / RMSEv 0.06 ft (NAVD88 GEOID18).
Common Pitfalls (and Easy Fixes)
Inconsistent angles and times → Make a repeatable plan; set calendar invites.
Low winter sun → Midday flights; brighten shadows in processing; avoid weeks with heavy snow cover if you’re mapping bare earth.
Moving equipment → Briefly pause operations in the grid area or mask obvious ghosts.
Too much clutter on the map → Fewer, better annotations; push details to the second page or the live link.
Giant file sizes → Export a screen-friendly PDF for meetings (under ~15–20 MB); archive raw and high-res separately.
A Two-Week Pilot You Can Start Tomorrow
Week 1
Set the plan (CRS, flight path, cadence).
Fly Baseline A.
Build the one-pager template (header, zones, milestone box).
Share with PM/Owner; ask “what would you add or remove?”
Week 2
Fly Update B at the same time of day.
Produce side-by-side and a 45-second clip.
Present in the progress meeting; log what changed and what’s next.
If people ask for more detail (quantities, 3D), add that rung in Week 3 without changing the core template.
Mini Case: From “I Think” to “Here’s What Moved”
A GC on a multi-pad site was losing time in weekly standups debating what was done. They adopted a fixed Wednesday morning flight. The next two meetings used a one-page update and a 40-second reel. Disputes disappeared. An owner request for an early paving segment was green-lit with visual proof that subgrade and access were ready — the drone progress became the meeting agenda, not just an attachment.
