Thanks to the latest drone technology, we can inspect wooden facades in an efficient, sustainable and precise manner. To do this, we use a drone with high-resolution cameras and special sensors to capture the building from the air. The aerial images capture all areas of the façade, including hard-to-reach areas. Implenia Holzbau offers its customers this digitalized maintenance method.
DRONES FACILITATE VISUAL INSPECTION
Implenia Holzbau has realized the façade and terrace grating for the Greencity, WOLO residential building in Zurich. The building is divided into 57 rental apartments and 83 owner-occupied apartments. After completion of the project, we agreed a service contract with regular façade inspections. This enables us to detect any damage or weak points that may occur over time at an early stage and take targeted action.
A PHOTO EVERY 3 SECONDS
The drone flies over the entire façade and takes a photo every 3 seconds. This ensures an image overlap of approx. 75%. The result is a true-to-original image of the entire façade.
Due to the high quality of the images, anomalies can be easily spotted and displayed. A point cloud is then created from the raw data (Fig. 1), from which an overall image of the façade is created (Fig. 2). The data from this overall image is then imported into the 3D drawing program CadWork (CAD/CAM software).
This planning representation (Fig. 3) enables us to analyze the anomalies and assess whether it is a natural deformation (environmental factors in relation to wood), a defect that needs to be replaced or damage that needs to be repaired.
PRIVATE CARE
To guarantee privacy, the tenants and owners were informed before the operation that work would be carried out using a drone. Residents were able to close the curtains or blinds. An information sheet explains all rights and guidelines. In this project, the drone was also used to take individual shots of balconies without having to enter them. Implenia Holzbau was also able to make some recommendations for repairs to the residents.
MORE EFFICIENCY, MORE SAFETY
Only one person is needed to control the drone. This innovation not only improves the accuracy of inspections, but also increases efficiency and safety enormously. The drone can easily reach hard-to-access areas that would normally be difficult or impossible to reach. This means that potential damage or maintenance requirements are quickly identified and precisely documented.
The high-resolution cameras on board the drone provide razor-sharp images and enable a detailed analysis of the condition of the timber façade. This allows experts to determine the exact repair and maintenance work with pinpoint accuracy and calculate the costs precisely. This saves time and money, as unnecessary work is avoided. In addition, carrying out the visual inspection with the drone also halves the personnel costs and the expenses for procuring a lifting platform.
Digitalization
Implenia Holzbau is constantly developing in the area of digitalization and looking for optimizations. The pilot with the drone was a success. The use of a drone offers all kinds of advantages. It is more sustainable compared to lifting platforms, among other things due to the outward and return transportation. Damage to the landscape is also avoided by using drones. It also offers potential for further applications. For example, the drone images can be provided with geodata. This not only provides a true-to-original image of an object, but also makes it possible to measure areas and lengths through geo-verification.
Visual inspection with drones offers property owners new opportunities to manage their properties efficiently. Of course, Implenia Holzbau supports this.
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