I've flown over 100 construction and engineering sites. Here's what I've learned.

Most drone operators show up, shoot some footage, and send a raw video file. That's not an inspection — that's a joyride.

A real aerial site inspection should give the project manager actionable information.

What a good drone inspection actually delivers:

• Orthomosaic maps with georeferenced coordinates (not just pretty photos)

• Progress tracking compared to previous inspections or site plans

• Clear identification of problem areas — unsafe scaffolding, drainage issues, encroachment

• A written report the engineer can actually use, not just a Dropbox link

The 3 things most clients forget to request:

1. FAA Part 107 certification confirmation — always ask for the certificate number

2. Liability insurance coverage — $1M minimum for commercial site work

3. Deliverable format specs — DXF files, GeoTIFF, or raw MP4? Know before you book

Construction is one of the highest-value niches in commercial drone work. A single inspection that catches a drainage issue before the pour can save a firm tens of thousands.

If you're a project manager or site engineer looking for professional drone inspections, that's what we do at AltitudeGigs.