{"status":"ok","message-type":"work","message-version":"1.0.0","message":{"indexed":{"date-parts":[[2026,3,14]],"date-time":"2026-03-14T15:23:22Z","timestamp":1773501802339,"version":"3.50.1"},"reference-count":55,"publisher":"MDPI AG","issue":"12","license":[{"start":{"date-parts":[[2021,6,20]],"date-time":"2021-06-20T00:00:00Z","timestamp":1624147200000},"content-version":"vor","delay-in-days":0,"URL":"https:\/\/creativecommons.org\/licenses\/by\/4.0\/"}],"funder":[{"name":"Comisi\u00f3n Nacional de Investigaci\u00f3n Cient\u00edfica y Tecnol\u00f3gica","award":["CONICYT-PCHA\/International Doctorate\/2019-72200306"],"award-info":[{"award-number":["CONICYT-PCHA\/International Doctorate\/2019-72200306"]}]}],"content-domain":{"domain":[],"crossmark-restriction":false},"short-container-title":["Sensors"],"abstract":"<jats:p>The physical progress of a construction project is monitored by an inspector responsible for verifying and backing up progress information, usually through site photography. Progress monitoring has improved, thanks to advances in image acquisition, computer vision, and the development of unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs). However, no comprehensive and simple methodology exists to guide practitioners and facilitate the use of these methods. This research provides recommendations for the periodic recording of the physical progress of a construction site through the manual operation of UAVs and the use of point clouds obtained under photogrammetric techniques. The programmed progress is then compared with the actual progress made in a 4D BIM environment. This methodology was applied in the construction of a reinforced concrete residential building. The results showed the methodology is effective for UAV operation in the work site and the use of the photogrammetric visual records for the monitoring of the physical progress and the communication of the work performed to the project stakeholders.<\/jats:p>","DOI":"10.3390\/s21124227","type":"journal-article","created":{"date-parts":[[2021,6,20]],"date-time":"2021-06-20T21:50:15Z","timestamp":1624225815000},"page":"4227","update-policy":"https:\/\/doi.org\/10.3390\/mdpi_crossmark_policy","source":"Crossref","is-referenced-by-count":60,"title":["Unmanned Aerial Vehicles (UAVs) for Physical Progress Monitoring of Construction"],"prefix":"10.3390","volume":"21","author":[{"given":"Nicol\u00e1s","family":"Jacob-Loyola","sequence":"first","affiliation":[{"name":"School of Civil Engineering, Pontificia Universidad Cat\u00f3lica de Valpara\u00edso, Av. Brasil 2147, 2340000 Valpara\u00edso, Chile"}]},{"ORCID":"https:\/\/orcid.org\/0000-0002-6674-2168","authenticated-orcid":false,"given":"Felipe","family":"Mu\u00f1oz-La Rivera","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"School of Civil Engineering, Pontificia Universidad Cat\u00f3lica de Valpara\u00edso, Av. Brasil 2147, 2340000 Valpara\u00edso, Chile"},{"name":"School of Civil Engineering, Universitat Politecnica de Catalunya, 08034 Barcelona, Spain"},{"name":"International Center for Numerical Methods in Engineering (CIMNE), 08034 Barcelona, Spain"}]},{"ORCID":"https:\/\/orcid.org\/0000-0001-5186-3154","authenticated-orcid":false,"given":"Rodrigo F.","family":"Herrera","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"School of Civil Engineering, Pontificia Universidad Cat\u00f3lica de Valpara\u00edso, Av. Brasil 2147, 2340000 Valpara\u00edso, Chile"}]},{"ORCID":"https:\/\/orcid.org\/0000-0002-2679-5839","authenticated-orcid":false,"given":"Edison","family":"Atencio","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"School of Civil Engineering, Pontificia Universidad Cat\u00f3lica de Valpara\u00edso, Av. Brasil 2147, 2340000 Valpara\u00edso, Chile"}]}],"member":"1968","published-online":{"date-parts":[[2021,6,20]]},"reference":[{"key":"ref_1","first-page":"1","article-title":"Productividad Media Laboral en la Construcci\u00f3n en Chile: An\u00e1lisis Comparativo Internacional y con el Resto de la Econom\u00eda Hern\u00e1n de Solminihac y Joaqu\u00edn Dag\u00e1","volume":"41","year":"2018","journal-title":"Clapes Uc"},{"key":"ref_2","first-page":"4","article-title":"Temas y tendencias sobre residuos de construcci\u00f3n y demolici\u00f3n: Un metaan\u00e1lisis","volume":"11","author":"Aldana","year":"2012","journal-title":"Rev. La Constr."},{"key":"ref_3","unstructured":"Ballard, G. (2000). The Last Planner System of Production Control, School of Civil Engineering, Faculty of Engineering, University of Birmingham."},{"key":"ref_4","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"474","DOI":"10.1016\/j.autcon.2006.08.001","article-title":"Assessing research issues in Automated Project Performance Control (APPC)","volume":"16","author":"Navon","year":"2007","journal-title":"Autom. Constr."},{"key":"ref_5","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"1099","DOI":"10.1061\/(ASCE)CO.1943-7862.0000371","article-title":"Integrated sequential as-built and as-planned representation with D 4AR tools in support of decision-making tasks in the AEC\/FM industry","volume":"137","author":"Savarese","year":"2011","journal-title":"J. Constr. Eng. Manag."},{"key":"ref_6","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"04018046","DOI":"10.1061\/(ASCE)CF.1943-5509.0001185","article-title":"Synthesis of Unmanned Aerial Vehicle Applications for Infrastructures","volume":"32","author":"Duque","year":"2018","journal-title":"J. Perform. Constr. Facil."},{"key":"ref_7","first-page":"44","article-title":"A Review on Potential Applications of Unmanned Aerial Vehicle for Construction Industry","volume":"1","author":"Dastgheibifard","year":"2018","journal-title":"Sustain. Struct. Mater."},{"key":"ref_8","first-page":"147","article-title":"Proactive Construction Project Controls via Predictive Visual Data Analytics","volume":"2017","author":"Lin","year":"2017","journal-title":"Congr. Comput. Civ. Eng. Proc."},{"key":"ref_9","first-page":"129","article-title":"D4AR\u2014A 4-Dimensional augmented reality model for automating construction progress monitoring data collection, processing and communication","volume":"14","author":"Savarese","year":"2009","journal-title":"J. Inf. Technol. Constr."},{"key":"ref_10","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"300","DOI":"10.1016\/j.geomorph.2012.08.021","article-title":"\u201cStructure-from-Motion\u201d photogrammetry: A low-cost, effective tool for geoscience applications","volume":"179","author":"Westoby","year":"2012","journal-title":"Geomorphology"},{"key":"ref_11","unstructured":"Peffers, K., Tuunanen, T., Rothenberger, M.A., and Chatterjee, S. (2014). A Design Science Research Methodology for Information Systems Research A Design Science Research Methodology for Information Systems Research. J. Manag. Inf. Syst., 1222."},{"key":"ref_12","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"844","DOI":"10.1016\/j.autcon.2010.03.003","article-title":"3D structural component recognition and modeling method using color and 3D data for construction progress monitoring","volume":"19","author":"Son","year":"2010","journal-title":"Autom. Constr."},{"key":"ref_13","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","unstructured":"Vacanas, Y., Themistocleous, K., Agapiou, A., and Hadjimitsis, D. (2015, January 16\u201319). Building Information Modelling (BIM) and Unmanned Aerial Vehicle (UAV) technologies in infrastructure construction project management and delay and disruption analysis. Proceedings of the Third International Conference on Remote Sensing and Geoinformation of the Environment (RSCy2015), Paphos, Cyprus.","DOI":"10.1117\/12.2192723"},{"key":"ref_14","first-page":"216","article-title":"Application of visualization techniques for construction progress monitoring","volume":"40937","author":"Fard","year":"2007","journal-title":"Congr. Comput. Civ. Eng. Proc."},{"key":"ref_15","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"121","DOI":"10.1016\/j.compind.2016.09.006","article-title":"Computers in Industry Understanding the implications of digitisation and automation in the context of Industry 4.0: A triangulation approach and elements of a research agenda for the construction industry","volume":"83","author":"Oesterreich","year":"2016","journal-title":"Comput. Ind."},{"key":"ref_16","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","unstructured":"Yap Hui, B.J., Chow, I.N., and Shavarebi, K. (2019). Criticality of Construction Industry Problems in Developing Countries: Analyzing Malaysian Projects. J. Manag. Eng., 35.","DOI":"10.1061\/(ASCE)ME.1943-5479.0000709"},{"key":"ref_17","unstructured":"Nasrun, M., Nawi, M., Baluch, N., and Bahauddin, A.Y. (2014, January 14). Impact of Fragmentation Issue in Construction Industry: An Overview 3 Discussions: Fragmentation Issue. Proceedings of the MATEC Web of Conferences, Perak, Malaysia."},{"key":"ref_18","first-page":"1","article-title":"Automated progress monitoring using unordered daily construction photographs and IFC-based building information models","volume":"29","author":"Savarese","year":"2015","journal-title":"J. Comput. Civ. Eng."},{"key":"ref_19","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","unstructured":"Lin, J.J., Han, K.K., and Golparvar-Fard, M. (2015). A Framework for Model-Driven Acquisition and Analytics of Visual Data Using UAVs for Automated Construction Progress Monitoring. Comput. Civ. Eng., 156\u2013164.","DOI":"10.1061\/9780784479247.020"},{"key":"ref_20","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","unstructured":"Angah, O., and Chen, A.Y. (2020). Removal of occluding construction workers in job site image data using U-Net based context encoders. Autom. Constr., 119.","DOI":"10.1016\/j.autcon.2020.103332"},{"key":"ref_21","unstructured":"Dave, B., Kubler, S., Fr\u00e4mling, K., and Koskela, L. (2014, January 25\u201327). Addressing information flow in lean production management and control in construction. Proceedings of the 22nd Annual Conference International Group for Lean Construction IGLC 2014, Oslo, Norway."},{"key":"ref_22","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"184","DOI":"10.1016\/j.autcon.2016.11.004","article-title":"Potential of big visual data and building information modeling for construction performance analytics: An exploratory study","volume":"73","author":"Han","year":"2017","journal-title":"Autom. Constr."},{"key":"ref_23","first-page":"1","article-title":"Methodology for Building Information Modeling (BIM) Implementation in Structural Engineering Companies (SEC)","volume":"2019","author":"Vielma","year":"2019","journal-title":"Adv. Civ. Eng."},{"key":"ref_24","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"689","DOI":"10.1007\/s11831-020-09455-9","article-title":"Methodological\u2014Technological Framework for Construction 4.0","volume":"28","author":"Valero","year":"2021","journal-title":"Arch. Comput. Methods Eng."},{"key":"ref_25","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"171","DOI":"10.1080\/0144619042000201376","article-title":"Trends of 4D CAD applications for construction planning","volume":"22","author":"Heesom","year":"2004","journal-title":"Constr. Manag. Econ."},{"key":"ref_26","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"47","DOI":"10.3846\/13923730.2013.851112","article-title":"Developing BIM-assisted as-built schedule management system for general contractors","volume":"20","author":"Tserng","year":"2014","journal-title":"J. Civ. Eng. Manag."},{"key":"ref_27","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","unstructured":"Hallermann, N., and Morgenthal, G. (2014, January 7\u201311). Visual inspection strategies for large bridges using Unmanned Aerial Vehicles (UAV). Proceedings of the 7th IABMAS, International Conference on Bridge Maintenance, Safety and Management, Shanghai, China.","DOI":"10.1201\/b17063-96"},{"key":"ref_28","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"541","DOI":"10.1061\/(ASCE)CP.1943-5487.0000168","article-title":"Three-dimensional tracking of construction resources using an on-site camera system","volume":"26","author":"Park","year":"2012","journal-title":"J. Comput. Civ. Eng."},{"key":"ref_29","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"04019002","DOI":"10.1061\/(ASCE)IS.1943-555X.0000464","article-title":"Applications of UAVs in Civil Infrastructure","volume":"25","author":"Greenwood","year":"2019","journal-title":"J. Infrastruct. Syst."},{"key":"ref_30","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"165","DOI":"10.1016\/j.proeng.2017.03.155","article-title":"Potential Applications of UAV along the Construction\u2019s Value Chain","volume":"182","author":"Dupont","year":"2017","journal-title":"Procedia Eng."},{"key":"ref_31","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"230","DOI":"10.1016\/j.ssci.2019.05.015","article-title":"Applications and requirements of unmanned aerial systems (UASs) for construction safety","volume":"118","author":"Gheisari","year":"2019","journal-title":"Saf. Sci."},{"key":"ref_32","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"322","DOI":"10.1016\/j.autcon.2018.07.020","article-title":"Comparison and utilization of point cloud generated from photogrammetry and laser scanning: 3D world model for smart heavy equipment planning","volume":"98","author":"Moon","year":"2019","journal-title":"Autom. Constr."},{"key":"ref_33","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"1065","DOI":"10.12989\/sss.2014.13.6.1065","article-title":"A review of rotorcraft unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) developments and applications in civil engineering","volume":"13","author":"Liu","year":"2014","journal-title":"Smart Struct. Syst."},{"key":"ref_34","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"1573","DOI":"10.3390\/rs4061573","article-title":"Assessing the accuracy of georeferenced point clouds produced via multi-view stereopsis from Unmanned Aerial Vehicle (UAV) imagery","volume":"4","author":"Harwin","year":"2012","journal-title":"Remote Sens."},{"key":"ref_35","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"163","DOI":"10.1016\/j.aei.2018.05.005","article-title":"A review of 3D reconstruction techniques in civil engineering and their applications","volume":"37","author":"Ma","year":"2018","journal-title":"Adv. Eng. Informatics"},{"key":"ref_36","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","unstructured":"Mahami, H., Nasirzadeh, F., Hosseininaveh Ahmadabadian, A., and Nahavandi, S. (2019). Automated Progress Controlling and Monitoring Using Daily Site Images and Building Information Modelling. Buildings, 9.","DOI":"10.3390\/buildings9030070"},{"key":"ref_37","first-page":"251","article-title":"Modelo digital de superficie a partir de im\u00e1genes de sat\u00e9lite ikonos para el an\u00e1lisis de \u00e1reas de inundaci\u00f3n en Santa Marta, Colombia","volume":"41","author":"Fuentes","year":"2012","journal-title":"Bol. Investig. Mar. Costeras"},{"key":"ref_38","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"189","DOI":"10.1007\/s11263-007-0107-3","article-title":"Modeling the world from Internet photo collections","volume":"80","author":"Snavely","year":"2008","journal-title":"Int. J. Comput. Vis."},{"key":"ref_39","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","unstructured":"Prosser-Contreras, M., Atencio, E., Mu\u00f1oz La Rivera, F., and Herrera, R.F. (2020). Use of Unmanned Aerial Vehicles (UAVs) and Photogrammetry to Obtain the International Roughness Index (IRI) on Roads. Appl. Sci., 10.","DOI":"10.3390\/app10248788"},{"key":"ref_40","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"91","DOI":"10.1023\/B:VISI.0000029664.99615.94","article-title":"Distinctive image features from scale-invariant keypoints","volume":"60","author":"Lowe","year":"2004","journal-title":"Int. J. Comput. Vis."},{"key":"ref_41","first-page":"198","article-title":"Direct georeferencing using gps\/inertial exterior orientations for photogrammetric applications","volume":"33","author":"Cramer","year":"2000","journal-title":"Int. Arch. Photogramm. Remote Sens."},{"key":"ref_42","unstructured":"Nyimbili, P.H., Demirel, H., Seker, D.Z., and Erden, T. (2016, January 27\u201330). Structure from Motion (SfM)\u2014Approaches and Applications. Proceedings of the International Scientific Conference on Applied Sciences, Antalya, Turkey."},{"key":"ref_43","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"1362","DOI":"10.1109\/TPAMI.2009.161","article-title":"Accurate, dense, and robust multiview stereopsis","volume":"32","author":"Furukawa","year":"2010","journal-title":"IEEE Trans. Pattern Anal. Mach. Intell."},{"key":"ref_44","first-page":"73","article-title":"Comparative Analysis of Structure-From-Motion Software\u2019s \u2013An Example of Letychiv (Ukraine) Castle and Convent Buildings","volume":"8","year":"2019","journal-title":"J. Appl. Eng. Sci."},{"key":"ref_45","unstructured":"Memon, Z.A., Abd. Majid, M.Z., and Mustaffar, M. (2006). The Use Of Photogrammetry Techniques To Evaluate The Construction Project Progress. J. Teknol., 44."},{"key":"ref_46","first-page":"1","article-title":"Photogrammetric Camera Network Design for Micro Aerial Vehicles","volume":"8","author":"Hoppe","year":"2012","journal-title":"Comput. Vis. Winter Work."},{"key":"ref_47","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","unstructured":"Atencio, E., Mu\u00f1oz, F., Romero, E., and Villarroel, S. (2020). Analysis of Optimal Flight Parameters of Unmanned Aerial Vehicles ( UAVs ) Analysis of Optimal Flight Parameters of Unmanned Aerial Vehicles (UAVs) for Detecting Potholes in Pavements. Appl. Sci., 10.","DOI":"10.3390\/app10124157"},{"key":"ref_48","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"252","DOI":"10.1016\/j.autcon.2018.05.002","article-title":"Review of Unmanned Aerial System (UAS) applications in the built environment: Towards automated building inspection procedures using drones","volume":"93","author":"Rakha","year":"2018","journal-title":"Autom. Constr."},{"key":"ref_49","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"107","DOI":"10.5194\/isprsarchives-XL-3-W1-107-2014","article-title":"Oblique multi-camera systems-orientation and dense matching issues","volume":"40","author":"Rupnik","year":"2014","journal-title":"Int. Arch. Photogramm. Remote Sens. Spat. Inf. Sci. ISPRS Arch."},{"key":"ref_50","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"16","DOI":"10.1016\/j.geomorph.2013.03.023","article-title":"Geomorphological mapping with a small unmanned aircraft system (sUAS): Feature detection and accuracy assessment of a photogrammetrically-derived digital terrain model","volume":"194","author":"Hugenholtz","year":"2013","journal-title":"Geomorphology"},{"key":"ref_51","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"211","DOI":"10.1080\/22797254.2017.1313097","article-title":"Combining nadir and oblique uav imagery to reconstruct quarry topography: Methodology and feasibility analysis","volume":"50","author":"Rossi","year":"2017","journal-title":"Eur. J. Remote Sens."},{"key":"ref_52","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","unstructured":"Vacca, G., Dess\u00ec, A., and Sacco, A. (2017). The Use of Nadir and Oblique UAV Images for Building Knowledge. ISPRS Int. J. Geo-Information, 6.","DOI":"10.3390\/ijgi6120393"},{"key":"ref_53","first-page":"15","article-title":"Estudio y an\u00e1lisis de precisi\u00f3n de diversos navegadores GNSS de bajo costo","volume":"4","author":"Souto","year":"2017","journal-title":"Rev. La Fac. Ciencias Exactas F\u00edsicas Nat."},{"key":"ref_54","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"43","DOI":"10.1007\/s11263-005-3848-x","article-title":"A comparison of affine region detectors","volume":"65","author":"Mikolajczyk","year":"2005","journal-title":"Int. J. Comput. Vis."},{"key":"ref_55","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","unstructured":"Hung, I.-K., Unger, D., Kulhavy, D., and Zhang, Y. (2019). Positional Precision Analysis of Orthomosaics Derived from Drone Captured Aerial Imagery. Drones, 3.","DOI":"10.3390\/drones3020046"}],"container-title":["Sensors"],"original-title":[],"language":"en","link":[{"URL":"https:\/\/www.mdpi.com\/1424-8220\/21\/12\/4227\/pdf","content-type":"unspecified","content-version":"vor","intended-application":"similarity-checking"}],"deposited":{"date-parts":[[2025,10,11]],"date-time":"2025-10-11T06:19:41Z","timestamp":1760163581000},"score":1,"resource":{"primary":{"URL":"https:\/\/www.mdpi.com\/1424-8220\/21\/12\/4227"}},"subtitle":[],"short-title":[],"issued":{"date-parts":[[2021,6,20]]},"references-count":55,"journal-issue":{"issue":"12","published-online":{"date-parts":[[2021,6]]}},"alternative-id":["s21124227"],"URL":"https:\/\/doi.org\/10.3390\/s21124227","relation":{},"ISSN":["1424-8220"],"issn-type":[{"value":"1424-8220","type":"electronic"}],"subject":[],"published":{"date-parts":[[2021,6,20]]}}}