Aerial innovation: a comprehensive review on integration of unmanned aerial vehicles in modern construction practices

Purpose This review article explores the amalgamation of unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) in the construction industry, focusing on technological advancements, benefits, efficiencies, adoption barriers, current applications and regulatory challenges. Design/methodology/approach A systematic literature review methodology was employed to gather and analyse existing research related to the use of UAVs in construction. This involved a wide-ranging search of electronic databases such as Science Direct, Scopus, Google Scholar and Web of Science. The selected literature was analysed based on the five research questions: existing applications of UAVs, technological advancements, regulatory challenges, benefits and efficiencies, and barriers to adoption. Findings The findings reveal that UAVs are widely utilized in construction for site surveying and mapping, progress monitoring, safety inspections and quality control. The functionality and efficiency were significantly improved by technological advancements in UAV hardware, such as enhanced sensors and longer battery life, along with software innovations in data processing and analysis. However, there are some significant hurdles, such as regulatory and legal challenges, including airspace restrictions and privacy concerns. Improved accuracy, safety, efficiency and cost savings are the benefits of UAVs. Nonetheless, the main barriers to adoption are high initial costs, lack of skilled personnel and resistance to change within the industry. Practical implications The integration of UAVs in construction offers practical implications for stakeholders across the construction industry. Construction industries can achieve cost savings, prediction of project timelines and enhanced quality management through the adoption of UAVs. Originality/value Unlike prior application-focused reviews, this study develops a synthesis-driven layered smart construction architecture grounded in socio-technical systems thinking to interpret UAV integration across physical, informational, decision and governance dimensions. The study further contributes by linking bibliometric trends, implementation barriers, interoperability challenges and organizational readiness factors within a unified analytical framework, thereby providing a more system-oriented understanding of UAV-enabled smart construction ecosystems.