Inspection

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Drone capturing digital twin of highway for enterprise GIS integration
Inspection
LiDAR Scanning

May 9, 2025

Digital twins and drones: transforming enterprise workflows

Digital twins created from drone imagery are helping firms centralize data and streamline workflows. By syncing with GIS and BIM, companies unlock real-time insights for construction, maintenance, and planning—transforming collaboration and cutting delays. As drone programs scale, many companies are moving from raw aerial imagery to integrated digital workflows. One major leap is the adoption of digital twins: up-to-date 3D models generated by drones and integrated into BIM or GIS platforms. These models offer a “single source of truth,” allowing teams to track changes, plan proactively, and collaborate across departments. But how exactly are these twins built and used? Traditional workflows often rely on outdated or fragmented data. A contractor may work from old site plans, while asset managers reference spreadsheets. This disconnect causes delays and costly miscommunication. A 2024 report found that data silos contribute to 35% of project delays in infrastructure. Digital twins aim to solve this by unifying drone data with enterprise systems—eliminating manual updates and enabling faster, data-driven decisions. Building a connected workflow with drone digital twins  Creating a digital twin starts with high-resolution drone imagery or LiDAR scans. These datasets are processed into photogrammetric 3D models or point clouds. Through cloud APIs and integration tools, these models sync with GIS and BIM platforms. From there, teams can annotate, measure, and track site changes—ensuring that decisions reflect the latest ground truth. This connected workflow is revolutionizing industries from civil engineering to utilities. Results / Benefits  Digital twins from drones deliver measurable impact. A European highway builder used 65,000 drone images to model a full corridor project, improving communication across teams and regulators. Companies report 30–50% faster project updates and 25% fewer data coordination issues. Integration also reduces manual reporting, improves transparency, and speeds up compliance reviews. Conclusion Digital twins powered by drone data are more than 3D models—they’re engines of collaboration and control. By bridging drones with BIM, GIS, and ERP systems, businesses gain visibility, reduce risk, and operate with real-time precision. Now is the time to turn drone imagery into actionable, enterprise-grade insight.

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Commercial drone flying beyond visual range over infrastructure
News Updates
Inspection

May 9, 2025

New FAA drone rules to unlock BVLOS operations in 2025

New FAA BVLOS rules will eliminate many waivers and allow long-range drone missions by default. This change opens the door for inspections, deliveries, and mapping at scale—if your team is ready to meet compliance standards. Introduction  The FAA is finalizing rules that will allow beyond visual line of sight (BVLOS) drone operations without a case-by-case waiver. For drone programs in construction, utilities, and logistics, this is a major shift. With Part 108 expected by 2025, teams can plan long-range inspections and delivery routes with fewer regulatory barriers. But how can companies prepare now to take advantage of this moment? Until now, BVLOS drone missions in the U.S. required special waivers, limiting scalability. These restrictions made it hard to use drones for inspecting pipelines, surveying roads, or delivering goods over long distances. In 2024, lawmakers directed the FAA to formalize BVLOS rules, which are expected to replace waivers by 2025 (source: dronelife.com). This means operators must understand new requirements to remain compliant and competitive. What FAA Part 108 means for enterprise drone programs  FAA Part 108 will likely define the conditions under which BVLOS flights are allowed without special waivers. This could include new requirements for detect-and-avoid systems, pilot training, aircraft reliability, and flight risk assessments. For businesses, it means more predictable operations and fewer administrative delays. Infrastructure inspections, corridor mapping, and delivery routes will all benefit from these new permissions, provided that drones and operators meet the criteria. Once BVLOS rules are live, companies can scale drone operations across states and project types. Infrastructure firms could survey hundreds of miles of roads or pipelines without breaks. Logistics providers could launch drone delivery services in suburban or rural areas. Faster approvals and fewer restrictions will lower costs and make automation easier to deploy. Time reduced from 2 weeks to 2 days (waiver vs. planned ops)   Accuracy improved from spot-checks to full-route coverage  Cost savings of ~40 % on repeat missions  The upcoming FAA BVLOS rule is a pivotal step for the drone industry. With Part 108 on the horizon, forward-looking companies should audit their systems, train pilots, and explore how autonomous flight can add value. The future of scalable drone operations is nearly here.

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