How Drone Footage Transforms Change Order Management in Construction
Change orders are inevitable—but disputes don’t have to be.
According to a recent report by FMI Corp—a leading consultancy specializing in the built environment—42% of cost overruns are tied to incomplete or inaccurate project data. That means nearly half of construction budget headaches stem from the industry’s perennial struggle to document exactly what’s happening on-site.
But there’s good news: drones have changed the game.
Why Incomplete Data Leads to Change Order Disputes
Traditional site documentation—photos, notes, and as-builts—can quickly become outdated or miss crucial details. When something on-site doesn’t match the plan, contractors submit a change order. If the owner or architect disputes who is responsible or when the deviation occurred, the “he said, she said” begins—and legal battles can follow.
Drone-Captured Visuals: A Timestamped, Geo-Referenced Record
Drones provide weekly (or even daily) aerial scans of your site, creating a timestamped, geo-referenced record of conditions. These high-resolution orthomosaic maps and 3D models show precisely what was built, when it changed, and how it differs from plans.
Imagine your team poured a foundation slab out of spec, or unexpected ground movement shifted a key structural point. Aerial scans overlaid on design models immediately show:
- Where the deviation happened
- When it occurred
- The impact on subsequent trades
These visuals are not just eye candy—they’re definitive evidence in your change order package. Instead of subjective arguments, you bring owners and third-party reviewers “visual truth” that makes your case far more credible.
How Drone Data Reduces Risk of Rework and Disputes
Rework due to undocumented or misunderstood site conditions can devastate budgets and schedules. With drone data:
- You proactively identify out-of-tolerance work before it snowballs.
- You justify changes with irrefutable records.
- You reduce the likelihood of owners rejecting legitimate change orders.
One case featured a contractor whose drone scans revealed an excavation subcontractor deviated from the approved grading plan. Armed with this data, they were able to:
✅ Prove the discrepancy wasn’t their fault
✅ Quickly plan corrective work
✅ Secure owner approval for a change order without weeks of finger-pointing
Beyond Change Orders: A Competitive Advantage
Documenting site conditions with drones isn’t just for protection—it’s a competitive differentiator. Owners increasingly expect contractors to bring robust data management tools to the table. Drone-based reality capture helps you:
- Build trust through transparency
- Win future work with a proven track record of proactive communication
- Streamline coordination with stakeholders who can remotely inspect up-to-date visuals
Key Resources
- FMI Corp Construction Outlook Reports – Industry-leading research on cost overruns, project management challenges, and construction trends.
- DJI Drone Construction Solutions – Hardware and software options optimized for construction site reality capture.
- Pix4D for Construction – Drone data processing platform for creating accurate orthomosaics and 3D models.
Ready to transform how you manage change orders?
Start flying smarter—and bring undeniable visual truth to your construction projects.
📚 Bibliography
FMI Corp. (2023). Construction Industry Outlook Reports. FMI Corporation. Available at: https://www.fmicorp.com/insights/construction-outlook/
DJI Enterprise. (n.d.). Construction Solutions. DJI. Available at: https://enterprise.dji.com/industries/construction
Pix4D. (n.d.). Pix4D Construction Solutions. Pix4D. Available at: https://www.pix4d.com/industry/construction
McKinsey & Company. (2017). Reinventing construction: A route to higher productivity. McKinsey Global Institute. Available at: https://www.mckinsey.com/industries/capital-projects-and-infrastructure/our-insights/reinventing-construction-through-a-productivity-revolution
Autodesk. (2022). How drones improve construction site management. Autodesk Construction Cloud. Available at: https://construction.autodesk.com/resources/how-drones-improve-construction-site-management/
CIOB. (2018). Understanding construction disputes. Chartered Institute of Building. Available at: https://policy.ciob.org/understanding-construction-disputes/
DroneDeploy. (2021). How drones reduce rework and disputes in construction. DroneDeploy Blog. Available at: https://www.dronedeploy.com/blog/how-drones-reduce-rework-in-construction/
