Luke Carothers, Editor, Civil+Structural Engineer Media

Luke Carothers is the Editor for Civil + Structural Engineer Magazine where he has been heavily involved in covering drones/UAVs and their applications in the AEC industry.  As a returning judge for the EDVY Competition, Luke has witnessed firsthand the growth of drone/UAV technology in the AEC industry.  He looks forward to seeing drones change the AEC industry, and sees EDVY as a way of expressing this movement.

Margot Moulton, Videographer and Editor, Zweig Group

Margot’s background in videography and editing began when she was the Art Director for two television stations. She ran around with the production crew as an extra hand at shoots. This gave her just enough experience in lighting, audio and video to jump in head-first when she was offered another position as the lead promotions producer within the same company. Along with the Creative Director, Margot worked in house and on location to film, edit and produce promotional videos of on-air talent, special event and sports content, and high level executive sponsorship commercials. After over 10 years of work in television, Margot joined Zweig Group, where she works to tell stories through video of the people and firms of the one industry that actually builds the world: the AEC.

Adam Kersnowski, Co-Founder and Chief Evangelist, Airworks

Adam brings over 15 years of expertise in drones and construction, having successfully co-founded AirWorks and managed two other companies. As Chief Evangelist, he drives client success, account expansion, business development, and partnerships. Adam is also pursuing a CP certification and is passionate about data collection and remote sensing.  Adam is an advocate for leveraging technology to address climate-related challenges. His commitment to this cause led him to participate in a convening for climate risk monitoring to detect landslide potential in Mocoa, Colombia, organized by MIT’s Environmental Solutions Initiative.  His passion for utilizing drones and data collection to address climate risks is a reflection of his dedication to creating a more sustainable future.

Maxim Baklykov, CEO, TOPODRONE

Maxim Baklykov is a surveyor with more than 20 years of experience in field and office work. In 2018 together with a team of like-minded experts he started the TOPODRONE project. TOPODRONE is a Swiss – based company that designs and produces high-precision surveying equipment for installation on UAVs, vehicles, and backpacks.

Bryan Baker, Drone Pilot for Leica Geosystems

Bryan Baker has been the Unmanned Aircraft Systems Sales Manager for Leica Geosystems Inc. since 2014.   Bryan has been in the Geospatial Industry for his entire career starting at Nikon Instruments as a software developer in the mid 1980’s and has held multiple technical and sales positions over the years.  Additionally, Bryan is an ASPRS Certified Mapping Scientist for UAS (CMS-UAS).  On the aviation side, Bryan is a Commercial Pilot, Certified Flight Instructor, Advanced Ground Instructor, and Remote (UAS) Pilot.   When not working and traveling for Leica Geosystems, Bryan enjoys traveling, giving flight lessons, flying his personal aircraft, and volunteering in the aviation community.  Bryan is a volunteer Drone Pro for FAASafety.gov, a volunteer pilot for Lighthawk, Pilots and Paws, Angel Flight, and a volunteer and flight crew member with the Commemorative Air Force.

Andrea Perotti, IT System and Administrator, Drone Pilot, Casale

Andrea Perotti lives in Gordola, Switzerland, and is an IT Systems Administrator in Casale SA (Lugano Switzerland).  Perotti is passionate about drones and model aircraft.  Perotti conceived and managed the project “Il mio primo drone” to bring young people closer and aware of the conscious use of drones and their potential, a project that achieved a World Record by making all the drones fly simultaneously, piloted by the guys who built them. In their free time, Perotti participates in downhill and Super-G ski races.

Enter for a chance to see yourself featured on the cover of Civil + Structural Engineer Magazine as well as Topodrone LiDAR Post Processing Perpetual License! More info here.

Fayetteville, AR, January 26th, 2023– Civil + Structural Engineer Media announces open call for submissions for the 2023 Engineering Drone Video of the Year (EDVY) Competition through April 28th, 2023.  C+S Media is partnering with Topodrone to provide a portion of the judging panel as well as a prize for the top video. 

Videos must be original, composed of video footage gathered with a drone or other UAV/S, and should feature an engineering or construction project.  All submissions should be between 1:00-5:00 minutes in length.  There is no fee to enter.

A panel of prestigious judges will select ten finalists to be voted on by visitors to csengineermag.com.  Details on the members of the judging panel are to be announced at a later date.

The top video, chosen by our viewers, will receive a LiDAR Post Processing Perpetual License from Topodrone as a special prize.  The winning video will also appear on the cover of Civil+Structural Engineer Magazine for the July 2023 issue.  The ten finalists will also be featured in the July 2023 issue. 

Videos must be submitted by April 28th, 2023.

To submit a video: https://live-cs-engineer-magazine.pantheonsite.io/engineering-drone-video-contest-of-the-year-2023/

Last Year’s Winner: https://online.flippingbook.com/view/997847191/

Interested in sponsoring the contest? Sponsorships packages are available, and can be tailored to fit any firm.  Reach out to Anna Finley (afinley@zweiggroup.com).

More information can be found in our Sponsor Packet and Media Kit.

From transportation to infrastructure to inventory management, the EDVY competition covers the full spectrum of drone technology’s use in the AEC industry.  By becoming a sponsor for the 2023 competition, companies are putting their product in the same conversation as those on the front lines of the industry.

Sponsorship packages begin with advantages such as branding on all competition materials, access to leads, and an email marketing campaign.  These benefits only increase as the tiers of sponsorship increase.

Sponsorships packages are now available, and can be tailored to fit any firm.  Those interested in becoming a sponsor for the 2021 Engineering Drone Video of the Year competition should reach out to Anna Finley (afinley@zweiggroup.com).

More information can be found in our Sponsor Packet and Media Kit.

Videos must be original, comprised of video footage gathered with a drone or other UAV/S, and should feature an engineering or construction project. Additionally, videos should be between 1:00-5:00 in length. There is no fee to enter. Deadline to enter is April 28, 2023.

The winner will be awarded with a feature article and cover in Civil+Structural Engineer Magazine and a TOPODRONE Post Processing software license. The software allows to perform a highly automatic GNSS and IMU post-processing, calculate a high-precision trajectory, generate a LIDAR point cloud, automatically perform boresight calibration, strip alignment and apply SLAM-based enhancement. The software makes it possible to get up to 1-3 cm x,y,z accuracy. It contains a number of useful tools that every surveyor needs, such as the coordinate converter, editor and merging RINEX files, it supports various coordinate systems and Geoids.

The software along with TOPODRONE surveying and mapping hardware solutions will be exhibited at Geo Week 2023.  Meet the team at stand #1135 in Colorado Convention Center (Denver, CO, USA) between February 13 and 15. To book a meeting with the team on site and get a promo code contact info@topodrone.com.

Enter the 2023 Engineering Drone Video of the Year (EDVY) Competition here: https://live-cs-engineer-magazine.pantheonsite.io/engineering-drone-video-contest-of-the-year-2023/

Civil + Structural Engineer Media is proud to announce Reid Hu’s “After the Mudslide” as the winner of the 2021 Engineering Drone Video of the Year competition.  After securing a spot in the final three through a record-setting round of public voting, “After the Mudslide” dazzled the panel of judges and was honored with the top prize.  In discussing the winning video, panelist Jean-Louis Weemaes, CEO and co-founder of Skyebase,  said the video was both “technically challenging” and featured “great storytelling”.

Another panelist, Caitlin Burke, an ecologist and drone pilot, cited the video’s technical prowess through a single shot take as well as its ability to inspire through creativity as reasons for awarding the video top prize.

IMEG Corp’s “Interstate 74 Bridge Corridor” was chosen as the second place winner, and Freese and Nichols’ “Bois d’Arc Lake Project” was chosen as the third place winner. All winners won varying prize packages from our contest sponsor SPH Engineering.

For a full accounting of the contest and selection results, stay tuned for the August issue of Civil +Structural Engineer Media.

Videos must be original, comprised of video footage gathered with a drone or other UAV/S, and should feature an engineering or construction project.  Additionally, videos should be between 1:00-5:00 in length.

Three finalists will be selected by C+S readers between May 3^rd and May 21^st via online voting.

Prizes for the winning video to be announced soon.

ENTER NOW

Last year’s winner: https://live-cs-engineer-magazine.pantheonsite.io/engineering-drone-video-year/

Sponsorship and advertising opportunities available.

By Luke Carothers

The Competition

After a massive 2020 EDVY contest that garnered votes from more than 60 countries worldwide, the Alabama Department of Transportation’s UAS team took the crown, edging out two stellar submissions from Lockwood, Andrews & Newnam (LAN) that featured two projects: The Northeast Transmission Waterline in Houston, Texas and Exploration Green in Clear Lake, Texas respectively.

The 2020 EDVY contest began back on March 13th, which, in a year that has pushed the conversation about the benefits of unmanned systems to the forefront, seems like ages ago to most people in the AEC industry.  Despite shutdowns, lockdowns, quarantines, and everything else that this year has given us, this award should give us something to look forward to on the horizon.

In just a few short years, UAVs, drones, and other unmanned systems have gone from a novelty hobby with a few specific uses in the AEC industry to an entire, burgeoning field of study and development.  As of this year, many firms within the industry have their own internal departments specifically dedicated to unmanned systems, and many of those that don’t outsource the same services to UAS/V companies who service engineering and construction firms.

The potential for unmanned systems in the world of engineering is limitless, and they are capable of taking the industry to previously unseen heights.  As the potential is limitless, so the uses are equally diverse.  From topographic mapping to monitoring water loss and underground shifting, the application of UAVs to problems within the industry is growing exponentially.

The Winning Video

The ALDOT UAS team’s winning submission exemplifies this burgeoning technology growth in the industry. Lasting two minutes and fifty seconds, the winning video is a compilation of projects from ALDOT over the course of a year—titled “ALDOT: A Year in Review”.

ALDOT’s UAS team was able to couple numerous breathtaking drone footage shots with an action-inducing soundtrack to display not only the natural beauty of drone-footage but also its ability to change our perspective and provide new insight that cannot be gained from the ground.  Stylized transitions serve not only a purpose of looking good, but also serve to transition the viewer from one practical application to the next.

Additionally, ALDOT’s video shows the vast range of environments in which UAS/V technology can be applicable.  By switching from shots of wide, rural projects to urban projects as well as projects over water, ALDOT’s video is yet another testimony to the variety of UAS/V applications.

The Winners

The Alabama Department of Transportation began using drones for various projects in 2016, but it took until 2019 for the program to be official when it began assigning official pilots.  ALDOT’s UAS Manager Jonathan Woodham believes that, like other technologies, UAS/V usage faced some resistance when it first began being implemented in his agency, but people are starting to come around to it.  However, although individuals like Jonathan Woodham have understood the various applications of UAS/V technology to the field, others in the industry are beginning to buy-in to the technology and view it as another tool to help complete everyday tasks.

For ALDOT, the uses of UAS/V technology are numerous and growing.  For now, the ALDOT UAS uses drones for projects such as: construction and environmental project site monitoring, surveying and mapping, 3D modeling, traffic flow monitoring, stockpile volumetrics, natural disaster recovery, and video and still imagery.  Furthermore, team members are also training to use drones as a means of assisting bridge inspections.

The team has even used drones to find and investigate beaver dams that were causing flooding on some Alabama roadways.

According to Woodham, ALDOT establishing a UAS department has changed the way the department operates.  He notes the change in ALDOT’s ability to acquire and deliver data for both pre-construction and post-construction projects.  In a time where remote communicate and data-sharing are prime centers of focus, ALDOT’s adoption of UAS/V technology allows District Managers and other personnel to conduct their business in an easier, safer, and more efficient manner.

Additionally, UAS/V technology allows ALDOT personnel to determine stockpile quantities in under an hour when, prior to the adoption of UAS/V, the same task took multiple days to complete.  This level of efficiency speaks to the blossoming potential of UAS/V technology as a means of increasing efficiency and public safety.

Such a wide-variety of uses for UAS/V technology means ALDOT’s 5-person UAS team is constantly busy, but this isn’t stopping them from staying on the cutting edge.  In addition to constantly working to develop better ways to acquire, process, and deliver UAS data, Woodham and his team are looking to add LIDAR capabilities to their fleet in the near future.

Watch the winning video here. For details on the 2021 contest visit www.csengineermag.com/engineering-drone-video-contest-of-the-year-2021.

Luke Carothers is the Editor for Civil + Structural Engineer Media. If you want us to cover your project or want to feature your own article, he can be reached at lcarothers@zweiggroup.com.

Thank you to our 2020 partner, AUVSI.

On the cutting edge of the AEC industry, UAS/V or drone technology has carved out a plethora of uses in helping engineers complete projects, transfer and collect data, and review progress.  Just as numerous, however, are the terms with which we use to describe what the technology actually is.  This is likely due to the rapidly changing conversation surrounding its uses.  As our uses for drone technology in the AEC industry grow, so does our definition for it.

So, where do we draw the defining line?  What history informs our understanding of the current climate?

Unsurprisingly, drone technology was born in a military theatre when Austrian soldiers attacked the City of Venice.  Hoping to stave off additional casualties, Austrian military engineers filled balloons with explosives and primed them with long copper wires that would extend to a controller for detonation.  These engineers planned to harness the wind and detonate the explosives after they had cleared the Venetian walls.  The results were mixed; there was a shift in the wind and many of the balloons detonated above their own lines.

What is surprising, however, is that these events preceded the Wright brother’s first successful manned flight by 61 years.  Their flight also had an impact on the development of unmanned aerial systems, giving form to flight and allowing the first pilotless winged aircraft to be developed in Britain: the Ruston Aerial Target.  Although the Aerial Target was based on designs by Nikola Tesla, it was little more than a flying bomb.  Drones had been developed in terms of form, but not necessarily in terms of function.

The development of UAS/V technology over the course of the 20th century is, again, largely a product of military application.  The United States military began using drones as a means to map and survey large portions of enemy territory without risking their pilots during the Korean War.  It is in this capacity that the technology began to show applications beyond the immediate military circumstances.

Although there was much public interest in things like remote-controlled model airplanes in the 1960s and 1970s, commercial drone usage didn’t begin until after the turn of the century when government agencies began using drones for things like disaster relief and fighting wildfires.  At the same time, civilian companies began using drones for simple tasks such as spraying chemicals, surveying land, and inspecting above-ground pipelines.

In 2006, drones were cemented as a commercially viable tool when the FAA issued their first commercial drones permit, but the adoption process was slow once again.  Averaging just two FAA commercial drone permits a year for eight years, it looked as if drones would be another forgotten fad.

After eight years of steady, low-level interest in commercially licensed drones, several large technology companies expressed interest in using drones as a means of delivering goods.  Most notable among these is Jeff Bezos and Amazon who outlined plans for a drone-based delivery system in 2013.  The result was an avalanche of drone permit applications.

This leads us to the current moment.  Many drone enthusiasts would tell you we are living in the golden age of drone technology and usage.  After averaging just two commercial drone permit applications a year until 2015, the FAA issued a whopping 1,000 permits in 2015.  That number more than tripled in 2016 when the FAA issued an additional 3,100 permits with the number growing each year.

The future of drone technology is uncertain but bright.  What started as a hobby for some is now a fully viable avenue of technological exploration.  As of 2020, many firms and government agencies are not just using drones to improve their business, drones are their business.  These firms and agencies have created specialized internal departments that not only use drones on their own projects, but license them out to other firms.

Like many technologies that can trace their roots to a military origin, UAS/V technology can be transformed from a tool of destruction to one of creation and preservation.  What started as a means to take is developing into a tool that has the power to give—to give life and to give new insight into the troubles that face our industry.

Luke Carothers is the Editor for Civil + Structural Engineer Media. If you want us to cover your project or want to feature your own article, he can be reached at lcarothers@zweiggroup.com.

The new members are Christian Ramsey, President of uAvionix Corp., headquartered in Bigfork, MT, and Lee Moak, founder and Chief Executive Officer of The Moak Group in Washington, D.C. They were appointed on February 5, 2020.

The DAC is a broad-based, long-term federal advisory committee that provides the FAA advice on key unmanned aircraft systems (UAS) integration issues by helping to identify challenges and prioritize improvements. The committee helps to create broad support for an overall integration strategy and vision.

Members of the DAC are executives who represent a variety of UAS interests, including industry, research, academia, retail, technology and state and local government.

The DAC is chartered to have up to 35 members. Twelve members were previously added to the DAC on May 20, 2019, to fill open vacancies.

Learning Objectives:
1. Describe ways to use UAVs in the engineering and construction industry
2. Understand the benefits of integrating UAVs in business practices and services
3. Understand the implications of not adopting new technology
4. Explain the process of achieving certification and licenses to operate unmanned systems
5. Understand the regulations for UAV operators

Meet the Speakers:
Michael Mitchell, C.M.
Aviation Planner, KSA Engineers
Michael joined KSA in 2016 as an Aviation Planner. At the start of his career, Michael was involved with multiple projects at airports across the US including Dallas Fort Worth International Airport, Dallas Love Field, Chicago O-Hare International Airport, and William P. Hobby Airport. He has been involved with numerous projects including runway reconstructions, terminal planning, master planning, and capital improvement programs. In 2018, Michael was tasked with creating and implementing KSA’s Unmanned Aircraft Systems (UAS) Program. Following the program’s inception, KSA has employed the use of UAS at numerous airports across the Midwest in support of aviation planning exercises, gathering data to assist with inventory and environmental analysis, aerial imagery, pavement inspection/analysis, and 3D rendering. He holds a Bachelor of Science degree in Aviation Management, a Master of Science in Aviation & Space Science, and is a Certified Member (C.M.) of the American Association of Airport Executives.

Sponsored by:

[qsm quiz=59]

FAYETTEVILLE, Ark. – Civil + Structural Engineer Media is now accepting video submissions for the third annual Engineering Drone Video of the Year (EDVY) contest.

Videos must be original, should be comprised of video footage gathered with a drone or other UAV, and should feature an engineering or construction project.  Videos must be 1:00 to 5:00 minutes in duration and be uploaded by March 13, 2020.  There is no fee to participate, but each contestant is limited to three videos.  Submissions will only be accepted if completed on the C+S Engineer website.

Three finalists will be featured both in print and on the C+S Engineer website, and will be invited to the 2020 AUVSI/EXPONENTIAL conference in Boston to showcase their video in front of conference attendees.

The winner receives a $500 Visa gift card, recognition in C+S Engineer, and one basic registration to the 2020 Elevate AEC Conference.

The contest is currently open for sponsorships. https://live-cs-engineer-magazine.pantheonsite.io/wp-content/uploads/2019/11/EDVY2020_sponsorpackage_print.pdf

To submit a video: https://live-cs-engineer-magazine.pantheonsite.io/engineering-drone-video-year/

Last year’s winner: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WnqG3MZofl8&feature=youtu.be

Enter Now!

About Civil + Structural Engineer Magazine

C+S Engineer is a national publication and online resource providing the AEC industry with news, continuing education, event calendars, industry related projects, industry forecasting, and thought pieces. Headquartered in Fayetteville, AR, it is published by Zweig Group.

In partnership with:

MONDAY, NOVEMBER 4, 2019 – 03:00 PM TO 04:00 PM

AUVSI, AIRT, and DRONERESPONDERS are kicking off the FAA’s National Drone Safety Awareness Week 2019 with a special public safety focused webinar based on the theme “Drones are Now for Public Safety!” Monday, November 4 is Public Safety Day and by attending this webinar, you will learn how law enforcement, fire rescue, and emergency management professionals are operating UAS safely and smartly in the national airspace system for a wide variety of public safety missions.

As an added bonus, during this webinar DRONERESPONDERS will be releasing the third report based on data from their Fall Public Safety UAS Survey. Tune in and learn what the data says about how America’s First Responders are training to use and operating drones for good!

Register Here

Speakers:
Michael K. O’Shea – Program Manager, Safety and Integration Division – Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) Aviation Safety (AVS)
William “Fritz” Reber – (Ret) Police Captain – Chula Vista Police Department
Christopher Todd – Executive Director – AIRT
Charles L. Werner – (Ret) Fire Chief – Charlottesville, VA Fire Department

Registration:
Registration is complimentary for all attendees.
Registration will close at 11:00 AM ET the day of the webinar.

Sponsors:

FEBRUARY 23, 2018

Congratulations to Spiracle Media/Aerial Buzz for being the 2018 winner of the first annual Engineering Drone Video of the Year Award. The Atherton Mil… READ MORE…

MASS TIMBER MILESTONE

MARCH 1, 2018

Oregon rightfully earned its place as one of the greenest regions in the world years ago. A leader in architectural innovation and sustainability, Portland has… READ MORE…

2018 RISING STARS IN CIVIL + STRUCTURAL ENGINEERING

MAY 1, 2018

This seventh annual Rising Stars in Civil Engineering and Rising Stars in Structural Engineering recognizes 26 professionals, 40 years old or younger working in… READ MORE…

DESIGN-BUILD

JUNE 1, 2018

The delivery method is gaining market share in both the public and private sectors, but design-bid-build will remain. Design-bid-build. It now seems almost qua… READ MORE…

CROSS-LAMINATED TIMBER

JUNE 8, 2018

A conversation with Nabholz Corp. Watch Civil + Structural Engineer’s latest FREE webinar while earning your PDH! You will hear from the ex… READ MORE…

GEORGIA DOT SELECTS APPARENT PROPOSER FOR 1-16 AT 1-95 DESIGN-BUILD PROJECTS

JUNE 25, 2018

The Georgia Department of Transportation (Georgia DOT) announced Savannah Mobility Contractors Joint Venture as the apparent best-value proposer for the I-16 at I-95 Interchange and I-16 Widening from I-95 to I-516 projects. Georgia DOT used a best-value procurement method for the design-build project, which evaluates both price and technical proposals… READ MORE…

SOM DESIGNS 27-FOOT-LONG MORPHING PAVILION FOR LOS ANGELES EXHIBITION

AUGUST 24, 2018

Skidmore, Owings & Merrill LLP (SOM) partnered with the MAK Center for Art and Architecture on an exhibition that explores the intersection of art, engineering, and architecture. A SOM-designed, portable, 27-foot-long, kinematic outdoor pavilion made of hinged wood panels is one of the centerpieces of the exhibition… READ MORE…

ENTER THE 2019 ENGINEERING DRONE VIDEO OF THE YEAR

OCTOBER 23, 2018

Civil + Structural Engineer magazine is now accepting video submissions for the 2019 Engineering Drone Video of the Year Contest… READ MORE…

AEC VETERANS

NOVEMBER 1, 2018

Tested in combat, those who served the country are proven leaders in the engineering field. By Richard Massey U.S. Army Reserve Col. Jack A. Otteson, P.E., kn…. READ MORE…

BEGLEY, CORN NAMED WINNERS OF GANNETT FLEMING’S INNOVATION CHALLENGE

DECEMBER 10, 2018

Gannett Fleming’s Collaborative Research & Innovation Center (CRIC) Working Group selected Jeremy Begley and Aimee Corn as winners of the 2018 Gannett Fleming Innovation Challenge: The Fourth Industrial Revolution… READ MORE…

The Atherton Mill site is a unique area to the Charlotte community. It is located in the historic South End neighborhood and is home to the first Charlotte railroad line that connected the Queen City to Columbia and Charleston. Around the railroad, a booming textile industry formed. This area has now transitioned to a historical site with an open-area market, retail spaces, and apartments.

The biggest challenge for the construction company and the engineering firm is building their mixed-use development while maintaining the historical brick buildings. The project will consist of over 60,000 square feet of retail space along with 100 new apartments. The city light rail system has replaced the railroad line so it fits perfectly into the mobile South End area. It will also improve the rail trail making it more accessible to walk, run and bike.

As the UAV pilot working on this site, it is unique to work with a firm that is trying to maintain the character of the property while adding to a vibrant part of the city. I thoroughly enjoyed flying around the tall brick South End chimney and classic railroad line. My favorite part has been watching the property grow from the bare ground, to columns and structures in place, to finally a completed 6 level parking deck, completed stores and living spaces.

STC Nursing and Allied Health Expansion

Aerial Video Drone Production Approach

Our aerial video professionals at ERO Architects, Mar Rivera and Hector Sanchez, use a DJI Inspire 1 Quadcopter with integrated 4K camera on a 3-axis gimbal with 360-degree pan. The drone range is up to 1.2 miles using dual remote controls, one for the pilot and one for the video operator. We post produce our videos on the Adobe Premiere CC platform.

Working with ERO Architects structural engineers, Eli R. Ochoa, PE, AIA and Joel D. Galindo, PE, to document the structural system of the South Texas College (STC) Nursing and Allied Health Building was illuminating and very informative. Their enthusiasm for the project approach for economy and safety was contagious. Our objective was to showcase both the building’s structural components and our structural engineering department.

For this project, once we scouted the construction site, the video production started with our drone operators collaborating with the design staff to identify the various components and elements of the building that are most important to our technical and stakeholder audiences.

The message strategy for the video is the same with all storytelling: (1) tell them what you are going to tell them; (2) tell them; and, (3) tell them what you just told them. The difference between a story and videography is the intense imagery, combined with and edited to dramatic music.

The videography begins at a height sufficient for a snapshot of the entire project followed by continuous flight around the project site to see it from all directional building elevations. At each building elevation, the camera is moved from panorama to close up to see the details. In both modes, panoramic to close up, project elements are labeled on the video to call attention to the importance of the structural elements.

The STC Nursing and Allied Health Expansion building is four stories and has a structural steel frame with composite floor construction (i.e. the steel beams and the concrete work together to support the loads). The floors are supported with steel columns which are reduced in size, for economy, with a field splice four feet above the 3^rd floor. Reinforced masonry shear walls serve as the lateral force-resisting system and encompass the elevators and fire stairs. Together, they resist the lateral forces induced by the wind.

The final video brings this all to life. In the opening scenes, one can see the entire building and all its floors. Close ups show the columns, the field splices and the masonry shear walls already constructed. All these elements work together and allow the building to function safely and efficiently. The video concludes with a high sweeping aerial pull out of everything that was seen throughout the video.

Do you have an original video of drone footage of an engineering or construction project? Enter the Engineering Drone Contest!

Contest Rules:

• Videos must be between 1:00 – 5:00 min in length
• All videos must be uploaded by February 15, 2018
• Contest is open to anyone who uploads a drone video of original, legally obtained footage, focused on an engineering or construction project
• Three finalists will be selected by the readers of Civil + Structural Engineer between February 15, 2018 and February 22, 2018 via online voting.
• Only 3 videos may be submitted per applicant
• All finalists will be featured in an article in print and on the Civil + Structural Engineer Magazine website, and may be used in marketing with attribution.
• Final winner decided by judges panel, & will receive $500 Amazon Gift Card!

[button color=”blue” size=”big” alignment=”none” rel=”follow” openin=”newwindow” url=”https://free.csengineermag.com/cs-drone-contest/”]ENTER THE CONTEST[/button]