Accelerating Use of Drones and Robotics in Post-Pandemic Project Supply Chain

Abstract

The global COVID-19 pandemic forced the construction industry to a standstill. In the wake of the pandemic, this sector must be prepared to make bold, innovative moves to prepare for the future. Over the past few years, the use of drones and robotics has expanded with many commercial uses, including in the construction industry. Drone-driven automation has an enormous impact in improving productivity and reducing cost and schedule overruns. The use of drones, along with the application of Internet of Things (IoT) and robotics, can make a significant impact on the supply chain and improve inventory accuracy, leading to faster and more cost-effective building projects. This paper will propose and statistically substantiate an optimization model for supply chain management through the accelerated use of drones and Artificial Intelligence (AI) in the post-pandemic era. The use of smart devices and IoT will allow warehouse managers to have real-time visibility of the location and inventory tracking, as well as enabling warehouse workers to access information without being physically present. Cutting-edge drone technology can quickly perform inspections to make inventory control more economical and efficient. While they are certainly not a perfect fit for every building surveillance task, drones have many advantages for probing buildings in search of leaks, performing aerial surveys, and dealing with security issues more cost-effectively than manual procedures, thereby leading to improved communication and collaboration between different stakeholders. This paper includes a real-life case study and dynamic mathematical model to demonstrate how this approach results in a project’s materials becoming visible, traceable, and easily tracked from end to end.