Technology Trends: Are Drones the Tool of the Future?

Drones are making national headlines these days, yet the most intriguing news about these flying robots is coming from the design and construction industry.

With more and more construction, engineering and design firms receiving permission from the United States Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) to fly drones as part of the business (Danis Building Construction Co. in Dayton, OH is the second contractor and fifth construction company in the country to date), drone technology is becoming one of the hottest investments of the future.

What Is a Drone, Exactly?

Technically described as an unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV), a drone is a flying machine that can be controlled remotely or flown autonomously using an embedded GPS-controlled flight plan. Used readily for military applications as well as search and rescue, surveillance, traffic and weather monitoring and firefighting, innovators are now exploring a number of commercial and consumer applications, such as Amazon’s Prime Air –where drones will be used to deliver online product orders, and personal drones most often used for aerial photography. While the FAA is quickly developing regulations for the overall operation of drones, building engineers, architects and designers are finding drone use to be a much cheaper method of virtual prototyping. Specialists in high performance industrial flooring are likely not far behind.

Pushing the Boundaries of Uncharted Territory

There’s at least one research project out there that combines two breakout technologies: drones and 3D printing. Watch the exciting project video above.

Two designers at global design firm Gensler/Los Angeles have already built a prototype drone with an attached 3D printer that extrudes concrete. The MUPPette –short for Mobile Unmanned Printing Platform- greatly expands a 3D printer’s print bed, which can give architects and engineers unprecedented scale. The airborne technology can also make accessible areas where it is difficult to haul construction materials or where a conventional, large-scale 3D printer isn’t practical. MUPPette has GPS sensors, a laser rangefinder for altitude control and a 3D printer complete with a gravity-assisted spiral conveyor and top for easy refilling. Currently, the MUPPette can fly for 20 minutes carrying 10 ounces of material. While encouraged by the proof of concept, the research team is busy fine-tuning the prototype for this particular method of fabrication, searching for research partners in the area of engineering to move the project forward.

3D Printing, You Say?

In case you’re wondering how the construction industry is utilizing 3D printing, the world’s first 3D printed office building is currently being built in the United Arab Emirates (UAE). Unlike earlier 3D printed structures that use the technology for exterior walls, project leaders plan to 3D print the entire office building, including exterior walls, interior walls and furniture. Gensler is again involved with project leader WinSun Global.

The details of the project are fascinating, to say the least. To print the 2,000-square-foot building, engineers will use a 20-foot tall 3D printer assembled on the build site located in the heart of Dubai. They plan to use Special Reinforced Concrete (SRC), Fiber Reinforced Plastic (FRP) and Glass Fiber Reinforced Gypsum (GRG) to fabricate structural and decorative components in just a few weeks, reducing labor costs by up to 80% and construction waste by up to 60%. This building is the first major project undertaken by the Museum of the Future, with the promise that 3D printing will be utilized in its creation.

About Surface Solutions

Recognized as a top UCRETE® Master Contractor since 2012, Surface Solutions is an independent industrial floor contractor specializing in seamless, polymer flooring systems utilizing the most trusted brands in the industry. From testing to consultation and complete installation services, Surface Solutions is your premiere source of non-toxic, safe and environmentally friendly flooring systems, offering turnkey installations using only in-house personnel. All installations come with a complete single source warranty.

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