DroneDeploy, Safety AI & Progress Reports | Internal Training Deck

DroneDeploy, Safety AI & Progress Reports INTERNAL OPERATIONS

VDC Lunch & Learn · Martin Horn

Presented by Habiba Elnagdy, VDC Coordinator

What We're Covering Today

What Is DroneDeploy?

01

Capture Methods

02

Drone Flight Schedule

03

Platform overview and what it does for construction teams

Drone flights vs. 360 camera walks, and when to use each

Pre-con baseline, monthly progress & why it protects everyone

Safety AI

SharePoint & AI Analysis

Progress Reports

05

06 How the AI reads your walk and flags site hazards

Uploading reports, who owns it, and how AI prevents accidents

07

Automated reporting, photo comparisons & sharing with owners

3D & Video Options

04 3D mode, record video, photo capture & what each produces

How to Run a Walk

08 Step-by-step field workflow for PMs and Supers

What Is DroneDeploy?

A construction intelligence platform that turns aerial and ground-level captures into actionable data: maps, models, safety reports, and progress tracking, all in one place.

Drone Flights

Autonomous aerial missions capture site-wide photography, 3D maps, and orthomosaics from above.

Progress Reports

Side-by-side comparisons and automated reports track site progress over time.

360 Camera Walks

Ground-level walkthroughs build a navigable record of the site at any phase.

3D Models

Photogrammetry turns drone or camera data into measurable 3D point clouds and surface models.

Safety AI

Computer vision scans walk footage and flags PPE violations, hazards, and unsafe conditions automatically.

Orthomosaics & Maps

High-resolution georeferenced site maps for planning, layout verification, and owner updates.

Capture Methods DRONE vs. 360 CAMERA

DRONE FLIGHT

Aerial

360 CAMERA WALK

Ground Level

Site-wide aerial photography & mapping

Ground-level site documentation from any angle

Generates orthomosaics, contour maps & 3D surface models

Feeds Safety AI, which runs hazard detection on walk footage

Automated flight path. Set it and let it fly

Generates progress reports with photo comparisons

Best for earthwork, site logistics & owner overviews

Best for interior spaces, active work areas & safety checks

FLIGHT SCHEDULE

Pre-construction baseline · Monthly progress flights · Final closeout

WHY IT MATTERS

Shows owners real progress · Protects against neighboring property claims

Drone Flight Schedule BEFORE YOU BREAK GROUND, AND EVERY MONTH AFTER

Drone flights aren't just for mapping; they're a record. A consistent schedule protects Martin Horn, protects the owner, and keeps everyone informed.

PRE-CON

MONTHLY

FINAL

Pre-Construction Baseline Flight

Monthly Progress Flights

Final / Closeout Flight

Fly before any work begins. Captures existing conditions: grades, neighboring properties, and any pre-existing damage to adjacent structures.

Schedule a flight at the same point every month, ideally the first week. Builds a visual timeline from mobilization to substantial completion.

Captures the completed site: final grades, landscaping, parking, and all exterior work.

Pairs with the Matterport final scan for a full inside-and-outside record.

If a neighbor claims Martin Horn damaged their fence or driveway, this flight is dated proof of what was there before day one.

Owners see real progress, not just a schedule update. Also admissible documentation if scope or schedule disputes arise later.

Closes the loop on site conditions for owner handoff and protects against post-completion property damage claims.

Tip: pair monthly flights with owner meetings. Open DroneDeploy and walk them through progress in real time.

3D Mode, Video & Capture Options WHAT HAPPENS WHEN YOU HIT '3D'

When you start a walk in DroneDeploy and select 3D, you unlock a set of capture modes. Each produces a different output. Here's what they are and when to use them.

3D Capture Mode

3D

Photogrammetry mode: the camera captures overlapping stills that DroneDeploy stitches into a measurable 3D point cloud and surface model. This is the most data-rich option.

Best for: structural documentation, earthwork verification, as-built comparisons

Record Video

▶

Continuous video recording of your walk. Feeds directly into Safety AI processing, where the platform scans the footage frame-by-frame for PPE compliance and site hazards.

Best for: safety walkthroughs, daily site documentation, owner progress updates

Photo Capture

📷

Still photo mode captures high-resolution images at set intervals or manually. Photos are geotagged, timestamped, and organized in your project timeline automatically.

Best for: punch list documentation, RFI support, progress photo archives

Safety AI Automated hazard detection, every walk, every time.

PPE Detection: Flags missing hard hats, vests, eye protection & fall protection Housekeeping Hazards: Identifies debris, blocked walkways, tripping hazards & unsecured materials Equipment Proximity: Detects unsafe proximity to active machinery or energized areas Automated PDF Report: Summary report generated after every walk; timestamped, geotagged, shareable

After every walk: report uploads to SharePoint → VDC Coordinator reviews → AI platforms analyze trends to predict & prevent accidents.

SharePoint & AI Analysis FROM REPORT TO PREVENTION

Every Safety AI report gets uploaded to SharePoint. Over time, that library of reports becomes a dataset, one that AI platforms like Claude or ChatGPT can analyze to spot patterns and predict where the next incident might happen before it does.

1

2

3

Upload to SharePoint

Organized by Project & Date

AI Analysis: Predict & Prevent

After each walk, the VDC Coordinator uploads the DroneDeploy Safety AI PDF report to the designated SharePoint folder, organized by project and date.

Reports are stored in a consistent folder structure: Project → Year → Date. This makes it easy to pull historical reports for any project at any time.

AI platforms like Claude or ChatGPT can read the full report library and identify recurring hazard locations, trade patterns, and high-risk periods, flagging them before an incident occurs.

Owner: VDC Coordinator

Naming: Project Name / YYYY-MM-DD

Tools: Claude, ChatGPT, Copilot

The goal: build a safety record so thorough that AI can tell you where an accident might happen before it does.

Progress Reports AUTOMATED. VISUAL. SHAREABLE.

DroneDeploy automatically builds progress reports from your captures, with no manual assembly required.

Timeline View

Photo Comparisons

Every capture is plotted on a project timeline.

Scroll back to any date and see exactly what the site looked like, drone or ground level.

Side-by-side before/after views of any area of the site. Great for showing owners progress milestones or documenting scope changes.

Automated Reports

Share with Anyone

DroneDeploy generates a formatted PDF report from each capture session: date, photos, coverage map, and safety flags all in one.

Send a link directly to owners, architects, or inspectors. No login required; they can view progress updates from any browser.

How to Run a Walk STEP-BY-STEP FIELD WORKFLOW

PREP

01

Log in, tap your active project. Make sure the 360 camera is charged and connected to your phone or iPad via the app.

CAPTURE

02

Upload on WiFi

Processing on LTE is slow and unreliable. Wait for WiFi. Upload time is usually 10–20 minutes for a full walk.

REVIEW

05

Walk the Site Methodically

Move at a steady pace, overlapping your path 30–40%. Cover all active work areas. Don't skip mechanical rooms or stairwells.

UPLOAD

04

Choose Your Capture Mode

Tap the camera icon → select 3D, Record Video, or Photo. For a safety walk, use Video. For documentation, use Photo or 3D.

CAPTURE

03

Open DroneDeploy & Select Your Project

Review AI Flags & Upload Report

Once processed, open the Safety AI report. Review flags, then upload the PDF to SharePoint (Project → Year → Date folder).

Forward to safety officer as needed.

Quick Reference: Keep This Handy ✔ DO

✘ DON'T

Walk at least once a week. Consistency is the point

Don't rush the walk. Steady pace = better AI reads

Use Video mode for every safety walk

Don't skip floors or mechanical rooms

Cover ALL areas, since trades need every space documented

Don't upload on LTE if you can avoid it

Upload report to SharePoint same day (Project / Year / Date)

Don't let SharePoint uploads pile up. Do it same day

Review AI flags and document your response

Don't ignore AI flags. Log your response

Save report links in Procore under the date

Don't fly the drone without checking FAA authorization

martinhorn.com · VDC Coordinator on file · Questions? Ask your PM.