Human-Drone Interaction (HDI): Opportunities and Considerations in Construction

Abstract

The construction industry is witnessing significant growth in drone applications, ranging from site mapping and surveying and progress monitoring to safety monitoring and structure inspection and maintenance. Drones’ recent technological advancements and successful integration with other technologies, along with their ability to accomplish tasks safely, quickly, and cost-effectively, have made them popular robots on construction jobsites. In the upcoming years, drones will be an integral component of construction teams, and these flying robots are envisioned to cooperate collectively or with other types of robots while closely interacting with jobsite workers and personnel. This chapter focuses on: providing a comprehensive overview of the different applications of drone technology in construction; understanding the human-drone interaction elements, research areas, and opportunities; as well as summarizing the interaction considerations while proposing a future research roadmap that ultimately paves the way to safely and more efficiently integrate drones on construction jobsites.