This was a Drone-Assisted Chimney Demolition Solution in Massachusetts
For this project, our Massachusetts drone services were needed to support a chimney demolition at a former paper mill in Turners Falls.
The job required a practical drone solution that could help the demolition contractor deal with loose brick near the top of a deteriorating chimney before scaffolding could be installed.
Boston Chimney & Tower Company had been hired to demolish the chimney. Their usual process would have been to build the scaffolding around the chimney and carefully bring the structure down a brick at a time.
But in this case the brick at the top of the chimney was very loose which created a safety hazard so the scaffolding could not be approved until the unstable brick was addressed first.
This created a difficult access challenge because there was no way to get to the top of the chimney until the loose bricks were removed first.
This is where PhotoFlight helped devise a drone-assisted plan that allowed the ground crew to begin removing the unstable brick from the top from a much safer position.
The video below shows how the drone-assisted approach was the best choice for this project:
Project Details
Project: Drone-assisted chimney demolition support
Client: Boston Chimney & Tower Company
Location: Turners Falls, Massachusetts
Site: Former paper mill chimney
Objective: Use of a heavy-lift drone to place a grappling hook system so the ground crew could pull down loose brick.
Equipment: DJI M600 Pro heavy-lift drone, grappling hook, release mechanism and approximately 150 feet of rope.
How we solved the access problem before demolition could move forward
For this project we used a DJI M600 Pro drone equipped with a release mechanism. A grappling hook was then attached to one end of a rope while the other end was controlled by the ground team.
Our role was to help solve the access problem from the air so instead of sending workers up to the unstable section, we used the heavy-lift drone to carry the grappling hook that was attached to a long rope.
The drone was used to placed the hook at the loose brick at the top of the chimney and then the ground crew would use the rope to pull the loose brick down in a controlled manner.
The process required coordination between the drone pilot and the crew below. We had to make sure the drone was flown accurately and that the rope was managed properly on the ground after each hook..
The project was a success and another example of how drones can be used as practical tools on industrial and construction sites by helping crews complete specific tasks that are difficult to do safely with conventional access methods.
Using Drone Support for Industrial and Construction Challenges
PhotoFlight provides both industrial drone services and construction drone services for clients who need more than basic aerial footage. Some projects require inspection drone support built around a specific field challenge.
The Turners Falls chimney project is a good example of this because the drone was used as part of a problem solving process that helped the contractor approach a difficult demolition in a practical way while supporting the larger goal of getting the site ready for the next phase of work.
If your company needs drone support for an industrial, construction or demolition-related project, you can trust our professional droning team to help you plan the right approach.
You can Contact PhotoFlight Aerial Media today to discuss your project and find out more about how we can help.