Impact of Drone Presence on Construction Individuals Working at Heights

Abstract

Drones have had a significant impact on the construction industry. However, their safety implications on construction jobsites are yet to be explored. This user-centered study empirically investigates whether drone presence is associated with any physiological, attentional, and emotional impact on humans, particularly those working at heights who are susceptible to higher risks of injuries and fatalities. Through a between-subject study design, recruited participants were asked to perform construction tasks in a virtual reality environment, with or without the presence of drones, to measure these impacts. Results obtained from the objective and subjective measures showed that drone presence was not associated with changes in participants’ physiological and emotional states. However, participants diverted some of their attention from the assigned task toward the drone. This study advances the knowledge of human–drone interaction in construction by informing the construction industry about the safety challenges of drone presence on individuals working at heights.