How Construction Companies Are Using Drones to Help Build Stadiums

Two NFL stadiums in the midst of construction, Allegiant Stadium and SoFi Stadium, are using drone data to compare 3D generated models against predetermined blueprints set by the contractor, ensuring projects stay on schedule and on budget. By having multiple sets of models to compare, workers can accurately adjust timelines and workflows. At Golden 1 Center in Sacramento, these models were color-coded to determine at-risk locations and improve safety on-site. Allegiant and SoFi stadiums even use its drone footage as a P.R. tool to show building progress to the public.

Photo credit: Mortenson.com

An added benefit of drone data is the use of ground control points, which significantly speeds up operations by providing real-time data to those in the office and on the ground. For Minnesota United Football Club’s Allianz Field, drone software was used to identify gate and equipment locations, determine material volumes, and plan material drop-off routes and storage. By using drones in these operations, jobs that would normally take 2 hours turned into 5-10 minute tasks.

Photo credit: Mortenson.com

Drones are also commonly deployed to perform safety inspections and conduct tests. At U.S. Bank Stadium in Minneapolis, drones captured images that served as reference points for maintenance checks. These geotagged locations made it much easier to identify and fix problems when they arose. Beyond construction, drone technology can be used for a myriad of reasons. Those assisting in the development of AT&T Stadium utilized drones to test the WiFi network in every single seat. While this task previously took about a week to manually test nearly 100,000 seats, it took drones less than a day.

Photo Credit: The Road to 2022

In a one-of-a-kind move, the 2022 FIFA World Cup is considering using a flurry of drones to shade spectators inside Lusail Iconic Stadium in Qatar, where temperatures often reach upwards of 100 degrees Fahrenheit in the summer. Similarly, Jacksonville Jaguars owner Shad Khan stated this past April that he will also be looking into using drones to hold shade above spectators’ heads on sunny days during the regular season.

Whatever the purpose, drones technology can elevate your business by improving productivity and safety across all phases of construction. DroneDeploy makes it easy to map and share sites across teams and significantly reduces the time and money spent to build structures even as large as stadiums.