Subdivisions and residences
Monthly progress monitoring, earthworks control, planning compliance verification. For developer MOA and MOE.
SERVICE · 06 / 06
Construction monitoring
by drone.
Monthly or bimonthly flight. 2 cm/pixel orthophoto, progress comparison, cubature calculation, dashboard shared between MOA, MOE, OPC.
Frequency
1 / month
or bimonthly per site
Resolution
2 cm/pixel
standard construction GSD
Delivery
7 days
after monthly flight
Drone construction monitoring is a strongly expanding practice in French construction — ENGIE, Bouygues, Vinci and Eiffage have made it standard on their major sites since 2020. The principle: a monthly or bimonthly drone flight produces a high-resolution orthophoto + a 3D mesh of the site. Successive periods are compared to measure progress, calculate cubatures, control compliance, and arbitrate planning gaps.
ARPEO offers construction monitoring under monthly subscription or phase-based package (earthworks, structural work, finishes). DJI Matrice 4E + RTK flight. Contractual delivery 7 days after each flight: 2 cm/pixel orthophoto, DSM (Digital Surface Model), comparison with previous period, shared dashboard.
The dashboard is accessible online to project stakeholders (MOA, MOE, OPC, contractors): free navigation through periods, length / surface / volume measurements directly in the browser, collaborative annotation. Compatible with BIM Track, BIMcollab, Aconex platforms.
Initial mobilization within 5 working days. Recurring flights scheduled at the start of the month. Contractual delivery 7 days after each flight. Typical monthly package: €600 to €1,800 excl. VAT depending on site surface (from 1 ha up to 50 ha).
— EQUIPMENT
Equipment & dashboard
Drone, temporal photogrammetry and comparison platform.
Main drone
DJI Matrice 4E + RTK
- Recurring flight in automatic plan
- ±2 cm RTK accuracy
- See Drone page for full specifications
Temporal photogrammetry
Reality Capture
- Processing of each monthly flight
- Orthophoto + DSM generation
- Inter-period cubature calculation
Comparison platform
ARPEO Dashboard
- Web visualization of orthophotos by period
- Side-by-side or overlay comparison
- Length / surface / volume measurements
- Collaborative BCF annotation
- BIM Track, BIMcollab, Aconex compatible
Ground Control Points on site
Permanent GCP targets
- Fixed targets for the duration of the site
- RTK GNSS-pointed once
- Guarantee inter-period accuracy
— PROCESS
How construction monitoring unfolds
Five steps for reliable recurring monitoring.
- 01 · BRIEF
Package and frequency
Briefing: site surface, frequency (monthly / bimonthly / quarterly), commitment duration, shared dashboard.
Duration1 week - 02 · SETUP
GCP placement + flight 0
Permanent GCP targets placed on site, RTK-pointed. Flight 0 (initial state). First orthophoto + DSM deliverable.
Duration1 day - 03 · RECURRING FLIGHTS
Automated monthly flight
Flight per pre-set plan (80%/60% overlap). 30 min per flight for 5 to 10 hectares. Automatic photo.
Duration30 min / month - 04 · PROCESSING
Photogrammetry + comparison
Reality Capture. Orthophoto, DSM, mesh. Automatic comparison with previous period (cubatures, gaps, progress).
Duration5 to 7 days - 05 · DASHBOARD
Dashboard update
Posting to the ARPEO dashboard. Notification to project stakeholders. Collaborative measurements and annotations.
Duration1 day
— USES
Uses by sector
Six sectors where drone construction monitoring has become a standard.
Offices and logistics platforms
Monitoring of large sites (5 to 50 ha). Backfill cubatures, permit compliance, legal archiving.
Bridges, roads, civil structures
Temporal monitoring of linear structures. Geometric control vs execution plan. IQOA compliance.
Quarries and cubature works
Precise cubature calculation (±2 cm). For per-cube billing, quarry operation monitoring, stock management.
Brownfields under rehabilitation
Monitoring of urban redevelopment sites (Euroméditerranée, ZAC). Temporal documentation for MOA communication.
Networks and linear works
Monitoring of network construction (water, gas, electricity, fiber). Execution documentation and structure geolocation.
— DELIVERABLES
Delivery formats
Recurring deliverables accessible via the dashboard.
| Format | Usage | Size |
|---|---|---|
| Orthophoto TIFF Rasterized image 2 cm/pixel per period | Rasterized image 2 cm/pixel per period | 200 MB to 2 GB / flight |
| DSM / DTM TIFF Altimetric model for cubature calculation | Altimetric model for cubature calculation | 50 to 500 MB / flight |
| Monthly PDF report Progress summary, cubatures, gaps vs plan | Progress summary, cubatures, gaps vs plan | 20 to 100 MB / flight |
| Turn-around video HD site video for MOA communication | HD site video for MOA communication | 200 MB to 1 GB / flight |
| Before / after comparison Side-by-side animation of monthly evolution | Side-by-side animation of monthly evolution | Accessible via dashboard |
| Shared web dashboard Free navigation, measurements, BCF annotations | Free navigation, measurements, BCF annotations | SSO web access |
— STANDARDS
Framework & best practices
Reference recognized by the major players in French BTP.
ENGIE Construction Drone Manual
Drone monitoring reference adopted by BTP majors.
BIM Track / BIMcollab integration
BCF annotations synchronized with existing BIM tools.
Data protection charter
Site photos treated as confidential data, restricted access.
DGAC specific category
Site flights (potentially populated zone) under S2 or S3 scenario.
— PRICING
How much does construction monitoring cost
Monthly package by surface and frequency. Annual commitment possible.
— RELATED
Where we operate
Drone construction monitoring is operated across the PACA region.
— FAQ
Construction monitoring — frequently asked questions.
What flight frequency for a construction site?
The standard is a monthly flight — enough to track progress and document the site. On critical phases (earthworks, foundations, structural work), a bimonthly flight may be relevant. On long phases (finishes, fit-out), a quarterly flight is enough.
What accuracy for cubatures?
±2 cm with RTK drone + ground GCP targets. On a 10,000 m³ earthworks, absolute accuracy of ±200 m³ i.e. 2 % error. Compatible with per-cube billing and MOE control.
Who can access the shared dashboard?
All project stakeholders designated by the MOA: MOA, MOE, OPC, contractors, engineering offices. Individual accounts with differentiated rights (read-only, annotation, export). SSO compatible on request.
Can drone monitoring be integrated into a BIM tool?
Yes. Compatible with BIM Track, BIMcollab, Aconex via BCF export. The 3D site mesh can be overlaid on the 4D BIM model in Navisworks or Synchro Pro for project / actual comparison.
How much does monitoring cost over a year?
Indicative: 1 to 3 hectare site, monthly flight = €600/month excl. VAT = €7,200/year. 10 to 30 hectare site = €1,200/month = €14,400/year. Annual commitment with typical 10 % discount.
What happens if the site is delayed?
The monthly package is still due even if the site is delayed — the value of monitoring is in the temporal documentation, not the physical progress. Frequency reduction possible (bimonthly or quarterly) mid-site via amendment.
Start a construction monitoring project? Quote in 48 h.
Mobilization within 5 working days. Contractual delivery in 15 days.