56 | MAINTENANCE

123RF's David Wood

© 123RF.com

Flying high
Do you need a drone in your
life? ARIAN BAHRAMSARI
looks at the many and varied
ways they can be used in
facility management.

D
rones are becoming more
ubiquitous in our world and are
increasing in importance in their
potential to have an impact upon
our lives. These unmanned aerial systems
attract plenty of attention and they’re also
well on their way to being accepted tools in
the FM world.
There is significant scope for drones to
be used in facility management, including
security, façade and roof inspection, and solar
and thermal inspection… to name just a few.
FACILITY SECURITY
Drones could be deployed as part of facility
security activities. Traditional CCTVs (closed-
circuit televisions) are limited to static
coverage and position, whereas drones can
be directed to any suspect areas and blind
spots. There is a strong potential for them to
deliver better coverage and tactical advantage
compared to traditional fixed systems.
On a large open facility, a drone could
provide security staff with an aerial view of
the entire facility without workers having to
step foot into a potentially unsafe area. In
some facilities drones are programmed in
line with motion and light sensors to spot
and track intruders and even recognise
number plates.
l there is any corrosion or hairline cracks on
the façade
l window seals have deteriorated
l there is a need to tag and measure vertical
stones, panels and structure
l paint on the façade has peeled off and
needs further evaluation, or
l there is water damage/staining on the
bottom of slab soffit because of overflow
pipes or disconnected downpipes.
ROOF INSPECTION
This is one of the main reasons to deploy a
drone, especially when it comes to multiple
facilities with very large roofs. It goes
without saying that using a drone to evaluate
roofs will improve safety and reduce the
associated risks and cost of working at
heights for facility managers.
Drones can be beneficial tools in roof
inspection in several ways:
l One interesting feature of drones is the
ability to scan the roof with an infrared
camera, enabling facility managers to
analyse roof conditions to spot potential
or existing roof leaks. They can identify
trouble spots, which are not easily
detected on a visual inspection.
l Facility managers can get a superior
insight on the position of HVAC (heating,
as dislocated cowls on roofs, can be blown
around and pose serious risks. Facility
managers can eliminate these hazards
through the visual aids provided by drones.
l Roof hail damage insurance reports
are possible through the use of GPS-
equipped drones.
Other valuable possibilities for facility
managers are the use of drones for glazing
inspections, chimney and spire checks,
sprinkler tank examinations, skylight
assessment – and even for checking for
birds’ nests.
SOLAR INSPECTION
With the widespread adoption of rooftop
solar photovoltaic systems, drones can
offer a range of detailed surveying services
for maintaining the energy efficiency of
solar panels.
They may assist facility managers to map
out the roof and get an accurate measurement BUT WAIT, THERE’S MORE … As facilities management is a commercial
required for solar cell installations.
Aerial imagery provided by drones can also
“There is significant Drones can also be deployed to make
sure that employees are using appropriate
operation, facility managers are required
to get in line with standard operating
be used to identify solar panel faults such as scope for drones to personal protective equipment and safety conditions listed on CASA’s website.
dysfunctional cells, shades/objects on panels be used in facility systems correctly. They can be used for Rules vary depending on the weight of the
and dead/hot spots on the roof. management, including inspecting wind turbines and power lines,
job progress tracking, illegal storage on
drone. When operating in this commercial
category, it is essential that you review the
THERMAL INSPECTION security, façade and roof balconies, clothing lines and the illegal information, instructions, reading material and
Aerial thermal technology can capture inspection, and solar dumping of rubbish in an area. standard operating conditions listed on the

FAÇADE INSPECTION
Consider the top section of a building
façade that is hard to reach by a ladder or
requires other major equipment to access.
The advent of drones with high-resolution
cameras gives facility managers inch-by-inch
precision in inspecting the façade. Drones
can be particularly useful for facility
managers conducting routine inspections
to find out if:
ventilation and air-conditioning) units and
roof-mounted plants and be well-prepared
to deal with possible future issues and
forthcoming developments.
l Drones also have a growing place in the
future of inspection of asbestos roof
surveys. Normally, asbestos roofs are
too flimsy for staff to conduct physical
assessment and they may collapse with
the weight of a person walking on them.
l Loose items and unsecured materials, such
heat loss, moisture, refrigerant lines,
poorly insulated areas, and malfunctioning
and thermal inspection.”
heating and cooling equipment on the roof.
Thermal scanning of a building can also
gather information about the roof’s sealing
performance and generate thermographic
images for facility managers.
Thermal imaging can be used to monitor
heat escaping and building’s energy loss
and create CAD (computer aided design)
topographic models of the building envelope.
Being a drone ‘pilot’ is not an obligation for
facility managers as yet, but this could change
in the next few years and companies may add
this skill to their required hiring criteria.
RULES FOR FACILITY MANAGERS
TO FLY DRONES
The primary function of CASA (the Australian
Government’s Civil Aviation Safety Authority)
is to conduct the safety regulation of civil air
operations in Australia.
CASA website.
For drones weighing between 100 grams
and two kilograms, there is no need to hold
a RPA Operator Certificate (ReOC) or a
Remote Pilot Licence (RePL).
If a remotely piloted aircraft weighs over
two kilograms, however, facility managers will
need to hold a ReOC or RePL. l
> Arian Bahramsari is a Melbourne-based
facility manager.

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