AUTHOR: Edwina Tanjaya, Gandhi Pawitan
PUBLISHED IN: Volume 5 Issue 2
KEYWORDS: Drone Technology, Construction Monitoring, Operational Efficiency, Expert Judgment, Decision Tree.
ABSTRACT
The adoption of drone technology is gaining attention in the construction industry, but empirical evidence on its impact on operational efficiency – particularly in emerging economies like Indonesia – remains scarce. Traditional on-site monitoring is often costly and logistically difficult, especially in remote project locations. This study addresses the gap by evaluating the effectiveness of drone-based monitoring compared to conventional methods. Using a qualitative case study at PT. Total Kinerja Mandiri, data were collected from five key experts – including project managers, a drone operator, and a company director – through in-depth interviews and direct observation. A decision tree framework supported by expert judgment was applied to assess three monitoring alternatives (drone monitoring, on-site monitoring, and no monitoring) under two project scenarios: remote and accessible sites. The findings indicate that drone monitoring achieved the highest effectiveness, with an expected value score of 8.49, outperforming on-site monitoring (7.22) and no monitoring (1.00). This proves that drones can enhance time efficiency, reduce operational costs, and improve remote coordination. However, experts emphasized that drone usage should complement, rather than fully replacing on-site (physical) monitoring to ensure accountability and real-time verification. This study contributes empirical evidence on construction digitalization in Indonesia and offers practical insights for contractors operating in geographically challenging areas. Nevertheless, the scope is limited to one company and relies primarily on expert judgment. Future research should incorporate quantitative cost–benefit analysis across multiple firms to strengthen generalizability.
DOI: https://doi.org/10.65194/IJBI-2025-1004
