Tested that job site drone for marking out footings and it saved me 4 hours

Got a cheap drone with a laser pointer attachment from a trade show last month... figured I'd try it on a slab pour in Denver where the stakes kept getting knocked over. Hooked it up to my phone, flew it over the layout, and marked all my corners from the air in about 15 minutes. Ground crew didn't even have to walk through all the mud. Has anyone else messed around with drones for layout work or is this still too niche?

3 comments

3 Comments

the_claire2d ago

Oh man, I tried that once and my drone ended up in a tree for three days while I stood there with a rake trying to get it down like a total idiot. That is not a good look when you are supposed to be a professional. But honestly when it did work it was amazing. I could mark out everything without stepping in mud up to my knees which is a huge plus. The technology is getting there but my clumsy hands are still the weak link in the whole operation.

charlies372d agoMost Upvoted

Three days with a rake is dedication, I would have just called it a Christmas ornament and moved on.

the_alex2d ago

Yeah I'll admit I was pretty skeptical at first, thought it was just a gimmick that would cause more problems than it solved. But I tried it on a tricky hillside lot where the ground was a total mess, and it honestly worked way better than I expected. @the_claire I feel you on the tree thing though, I almost lost mine in a drainage ditch on the second try. Once I got the hang of the phone connection it turned into a solid time saver for big open layouts. The mud factor alone makes it worth it here in the PNW where everything is soggy half the year. Still feels a little like cheating when I'm done in 20 minutes instead of two hours.