New York City has thousands of buildings and many of them are old and have issues with the facades falling apart with age. Two years ago a woman was killed by a falling piece of debris from a building. Detailed inspections often require expensive scaffolding that ties up sidewalk space and is unsightly.
The solution, according to the NY Department of Buildings is to use drones to fly around the buildings to inspect the facades. Currently, New York laws prohibit use of drones – except in specific emergency situations. Changing the rules and allowing drones for building inspections will speed up the process, make it less expensive, and allow for city officials to inspect buildings more often.
A preliminary report on the feasibility of drones to help with the Façade Inspection & Safety Program was provided to the city so that the City Council can address the required changes in the City Administrative Codes. – Steve Terry, DTC HVAC & Refrigeration Instructor
