At Blue Water Drones we have had the privilege of working with KAST Construction for many projects. As a leading full-service South Florida based general contractor they are one of our most valued customers. KAST Construction has created more than 4,000 condominium units, over 8,000 multi-family homes, and over 8,500 hotel keys. KAST believes that "success is driven by innovation, creativity, and a focused, intelligent approach to everything.” Being at the front of their field in the construction process, especially when it comes to technology, makes it an honor to work with them and be their chosen provider.
“Blue Water Drones service, professionalism and willingness to help us in our operations have been more than we could have asked for.” - John McDermott, KAST - VDC Manager
Challenges
As a leader in technology within full-service general contractors, KAST wanted to utilize drone documentation throughout their construction process. The challenge for KAST has been that “without drones there was no way to quickly capture data and locations that were previously impossible to capture without the use of expensive, sophisticated equipment that may not be immediately available to them,” says John McDermott of KAST.
At Blue Water Drones we have three plus years of experience flying sites which has given us the ability to offer this service in a meticulous and cost-effective manner. We began by flying their sites and collecting photos of the slabs. Post processing these photos inside software then allows for KAST to view everything inside the slab. This results in a map that can be viewed both pre-pour and post-pour with the ability to measure within the map to a usable degree of accuracy for KAST. Then, using software, we are able to take KAST’s drawings and overlay them on the current site conditions.
“KAST uses the pre-pour flights and resulting images to check that deck layout is in compliance with the approved drawings, and also serves as a record of where structural members are located within the deck should it come into question later on.” - John McDermott (KAST - VDC Manager)
Because of this service, KAST has been able to capture their needs in a timely and safe manner without compromising on quality for the sake of cost.
Success:
Own Your Own Data - By using Blue Water Drones and software, KAST now has the ability to control all the data and how they want to use it at any time.
Successful & Safe - All collected slab data from site are collected with safety and legality at the forefront.
Direct Integration - KAST has the ability to integrate directly to their construction management software for easy access and use.
Said best by KAST,
“Previous methods of pre-pour documentation by KAST relied either on the on-site project team to take photos, or relied on far more expensive 3rd party holistic solutions. The challenge with the former is finding time for the on-site team to take the photos, and then the potential for these photos to be inaccessible when needed. The challenge with the latter is having the data locked up in a proprietary location not controlled by KAST. By working with Blue Water Drones the data exists in our system, which integrates with our Procore Project Management system, making both short and long-term accessibility for current and future stakeholders far more seamless. There is a potential for future savings should we need to relocate or enlarge slab penetrations as we would be able to forgo the typical x-ray verification of PT cables in some situations. Additionally, thanks to the Procore and system integration, we can easily review design revisions against the actual pre-pour captures to verify that the changes do not impact the structure.”
As technology continues to advance, KAST is on the precipice of being able to use these services, and tools like integration of AI into their system. Being that KAST Construction is focused heavily on their quality of services and output, using documentation through Blue Water Drones has been critical for documenting KAST’s projects. KAST Construction’s values include being committed to “having a high morale and sense of urgency, being a transparent and trusted advisor, and focus on intense quality management.”