The Expansion of Drone Technology in Texas

DroneDeploy in Texas

Rogers O’Brien ("RO") currently uses drone technology to create precise, detailed maps of their construction sites and provide aerial footage to owners and workers on the ground. By documenting progress and utilizing Project Design Plan Overlays, contractors were able to speed up operations and perform logistics checks and quality control processes with ease. Not only did the use of drones improve safety on-site, but it also helped them win bids by showcasing advanced technologies to project owners. Today, at least one drone can found on each RO job site, with an average of three drone pilots per project.

A Growing Industry

While Texas has some of the strictest drone laws in the country, most of those apply to drone hobbyists (a proposed 2013 bill attempted to make taking drone aerial photography a misdemeanor). The Association of Unmanned Vehicle Systems International, on the other hand, reports that the state is estimated to have the 3rd most significant economic increase as a direct result of the drone industry from 2015 - 2025. Taking into account factors like total drone sales, labor costs, and new jobs created, the report predicts a 26% increase in commercial drone use within the construction sector, with 8,256 jobs created and $6,533,000,000 gained in economic impact at the time of reporting.

Texas’ top 10 contractors reported $11.48 billion in revenue in 2018, with increased development in the hospitality, technology, healthcare, and infrastructure sectors. Houston employs the most construction workers out of any other region in the U.S., with these numbers only expected to rise in the future.