Hansen Yuncken delivers efficiency and transparency with DroneDeploy’s aerial and ground-based reality capture

Hansen Yuncken, one of Australia’s leading construction firms with over a century of industry expertise, is spearheading the development of the Jindabyne Education Campus – a state-of-the-art facility that will serve 925 students across primary and high school levels.

The challenge:

Situated in the picturesque Snowy Mountains, the AU$145 million campus is designed to foster education and community engagement – offering cutting-edge classrooms, administration buildings, library and gymnasium – while meeting the unique logistical challenges of a rural construction site.

The project team faced the challenge of efficiently managing progress across a sprawling site and needed a smarter way to ensure every step aligned with the plan while avoiding costly mistakes.

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The solution:

Enter DroneDeploy’s unified reality capture platform, providing the tools to manage progress, validate subcontractor claims and ensure visibility for all stakeholders – without the need for constant on-site attendance.

→ Site monitoring without the guesswork:

‍Instead of relying on traditional photos that often lack context, Project Manager Daniel Spirit-Jones scheduled weekly flights to capture progress aligned with critical milestones. 

Through the use of DroneDeploy’s aerial imagery, along with ground-level standard and 360 degree captures, Daniel remotely tracked site updates and shared insights with stakeholders – saving days of back-and-forth on physical inspections.

→ Proactive problem solving:

DroneDeploy’s precise visual data prevented costly rework before they could arise. 

For example, the uncertainty surrounding the location of services installed behind concealed areas could have resulted in over AU$10,000 in additional material and labor costs, along with a 4-5 day delay to identify and rectify the space. 

By referencing historical images captured through the platform, the team verified cable locations and other services with minimal disruption to progress upcoming site works.

→ Enhanced cash flow oversight:

The project commercial team used DroneDeploy data to review progress claims to ensure they were accurate and substantiated. By identifying overclaims early, the team ensured cash flow aligned with actual work performed – a critical measure for keeping the project on budget.

“DroneDeploy has become a critical tool in delivering the Jindabyne Education Campus on time and on budget. The insights it provides allow us to manage complexities and communicate effectively with all stakeholders.”

– Daniel Spirit-Jones, Project Manager at Hansen Yuncken

The impact: 

The adoption of DroneDeploy has delivered multiple tangible benefits to Skanska:

Lower rework costs:

AU$10,000 saved on a single issue

With DroneDeploy, the team addressed the uncertainty around the location of services in the concealed space early on, avoiding material and labor costs and material wastage. 

Thanks to Drone Deploy, this also fostered greater trust among stakeholders as everyone was able to quickly refer to the photos to understand what’s been done and where, in turn improving coordination amongst the teams. The team leveraged the platform to access critical records in other concealed and hard-to-reach rooms and spaces such as above ceilings and below finished floors.

Time saved:

On the single issue, DroneDeploy played a key role in helping the team avoid any program delays, as well as indirect time-related costs associated with schedule disruptions. Access to the visuals meant the team was able to act without halting site progress maintaining overall project momentum. 

The incremental savings on the single issue and all issues thereafter contributed to effectively managing the program to deliver the project on-time ultimately supporting the success of the project.

Operational efficiency across teams:

The ability to monitor ongoing work remotely eliminated the need for costly travel to rural areas. Daniel leveraged DroneDeploy to oversee progress while minimizing travel expenses – covering flights, petrol, and accommodations – and focusing on strategic priorities. 

Transparency and stakeholder trust:

Weekly updates captured via drone flights were incorporated into monthly project managers reports, providing clear, indisputable records of progress. These insights enhanced transparency and strengthened communication with clients, ensuring alignment at every stage.

“DroneDeploy transformed how we monitor and manage this project. We’re delivering better results, faster, and with fewer setbacks – all while maintaining complete visibility for the client.”

– Daniel Spirit-Jones, Project Manager at Hansen Yuncken

The team plans to further integrate DroneDeploy into future projects, including leveraging its potential for Building Information Modelling (BIM) systems to enhance data accuracy and decision making.

The Bottom Line

From progress tracking to operational efficiency, DroneDeploy has become an essential tool for delivering this large-scale project on time and within budget. By eliminating blind spots and driving smarter decision making, the platform has set a new standard for what’s possible in modern construction management.

Want to get hands-on with reality capture? Request a demo from our team.

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