Foster + Partners and BeTomorrow exploring use of drones to autonomously map building construction

Foster + Partners is working with Be Tomorrow UK, the UK arm of a leading autonomous drone software developer, to develop a drone-based solution to accurately detect clashes and potential snagging issues on construction sites.

The project aims to create a reliable and cost-effective system that can map construction sites and help compare the as-built environment with the proposed design on a continuous basis, thereby eliminating potentially expensive construction errors and delays. Such a service will offer significant benefits to the construction industry, helping lower overall project costs and risk, while increasing quality and client confidence, for a relatively small investment.

Developing this solution involves overcoming several technical challenges, the most significant being the development of a suitable autonomous mapping solution that works in the complex and demanding environment of a live construction site. The objective is to build a working prototype for this service that can be used to demonstrate its potential for large-scale projects.

This project will build on BeTomorrow’s drone related work since 2007, as well as Foster + Partners’ innovative approach to BIM and construction management. The research and development has been co-funded by a grant from the UK’s innovation agency, Innovate-UK.