A Review of Unmanned Aerial Systems (UAS) Applications in Safety Monitoring of Construction Projects

Document Type : Review

Authors

Innovative Technologies Center for Construction Management, Construction Engineering and Management Department, Faculty of Civil Engineering, K. N. Toosi University of Technology, Tehran, Iran

10.24200/j30.2024.64444.3324

Abstract

Safety is a fundamental issue in all societies. The construction industry, due to its inherent complexities and dynamic work environment, is one of the most hazardous industries in the world, witnessing serious and recurring fatalities and injuries. Despite significant advancements in safety equipment, technology, and training, the statistics of fatal and non-fatal accidents in this industry remain high. Identifying and managing risks is a key element in preventing construction accidents. Therefore, precise implementation of safety inspections on construction sites is a vital step in accident prevention. Increasing the quantity and quality of inspections can lead to better identification of hazards and consequently improve safety. However, factors can hinder safety managers from increasing the number of safety inspections on-site. On the one hand, the number of safety managers in each construction company is limited. These managers may also be geographically dispersed, resulting in a lack of immediate and daily access to all construction areas. On the other hand, visual safety inspections are limited in hard-to-reach areas. Therefore, finding ways to increase the frequency of safety inspections on construction sites and inspecting hard-to-reach areas can bring significant improvements in hazard management and prevention. In this regard, the technology of unmanned aerial systems (UASs) serves as an innovative tool with exceptional capabilities in enhancing the inspection and safety monitoring process. This technology enables access to difficult and hazardous areas, facilitating faster and more accurate inspections. The aim of this article is to review previous research on the application of UASs in the safety supervision of construction. Using literature review methods and content analysis, this article evaluates the current research status in this field. The results show that UASs are useful in the design and construction phases and provide the possibility of effective monitoring of the implementation of safety rules through more detailed and comprehensive inspections. By increasing the accuracy and breadth of inspections, this technology helps reduce risks such as falls, struck-by accidents, and falling debris, and generally improves the level of safety on the site. Additionally, the results, limitations, and challenges associated with this emerging technology are presented, along with suggestions for future research.

Keywords

Main Subjects

References

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Sharif Journal of Civil Engineering
Volume 41, Issue 3 - Serial Number 3
December 2026
Pages 89-103

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