Digital Architecture Using Drones In Professional Training

“Learning new technological tools develops technological and digital skills in students to solve problems in different areas of knowledge.”

The world of architecture has passed into a new stage of flourishing thanks to the technological and digital development experienced in recent decades. Now we must rethink the paradigms and the approach of this discipline. Unquestionably, cutting-edge tools are necessary for managing architectural processes to complement professional work and overcome the limitations of the material plane.

In particular, photogrammetry is the study, measurement, and interpretation of form through photography. The first records of aerial photogrammetry date from second half of the XVIII century when photography began to be used for cartographic purposes. The evolution of Unmanned Aerial Vehicles (UAVs), popularly called “drones,” has revolutionized real-time information, which is now much more precise.

“Digital transformation is a cross-cutting skill that seeks to get students from their area of knowledge to create solutions to problems in their professional field with the intelligent and timely incorporation of cutting-edge digital technologies.”

Applications of photogrammetry with drones

In architectural and urban projects, it is vital to thoroughly analyze the characteristics and components that directly and indirectly affect the study area to consider all possible variants and successfully develop our discipline.

Currently, photogrammetry with drones and specialized software generates various supports such as color-point clouds, 3D-textured meshes, orthomosaics, contour lines, or heat maps, which help us understand the site or object of study precisely. It is essential to clarify that generating these “digital architecture” resources in no way replaces traditional study processes such as analyzing the site in physical form. Instead, they are a complement that helps us to deepen our measurements and understanding. In addition, these resources offer the possibility of obtaining accurate and detailed information quickly. Thus, it is necessary to develop the ability to effectively interpret all the information collected and generated in the processes mentioned above.

Some specific examples show us that photogrammetry with drones can also be applied to combat climate change through mapping, surveillance, and monitoring of the environment, like several universities in Arizona, one of the hottest states in the United States. By continuously monitoring the study area, professionals can identify pests, forest fires, and other potential growing threats.

Photogrammetry has helped preserve monuments and recover and restore historic buildings. An example is the Notre Dame Cathedral in Paris, which suffered a significant fire in 2019 that destroyed much of the roof and its structure. Similarly, in Beirut, Lebanon, an unfortunate explosion occurred in 2020 that caused the death of more than 200 people and damaged architecture and infrastructure in a radius of more than five kilometers.

Other photogrammetry applications include creating realistic scenarios and environments with Virtual Reality (VR) in video games or digital animations. These scenarios can support pedagogical delivery through virtual classes to distant or difficult-to-access places. Students develop other academic and social skills in what is now known as a “metaverse”, a term coined to describe the virtual space where people interact in a digital reality.

Teaching practice in architecture using digital technologies

The implementation of photogrammetry with drones in our NOVUS educational innovation project aims to carry out topographic surveys of different sites and buildings for a deeper study that allows students to generate worthwhile projects. Also, we intend to overcome current pandemic health restrictions through small groups where students can generate information flows derived from these activities and then share them with their classmates remotely.

The pedagogical strategy used in this innovation is hybrid learning, primarily using research and projects, while the methodological approach to experimentation is qualitative. The variables to measure the project’s impact on students are motivation and digital transformation. The latter is a transversal competency developed by l students to solve the problems of their professional disciplines with intelligent and timely incorporation of cutting-edge digital technologies.

Disadvantages of aerial photogrammetry

Implementing any emerging technology turns up areas of opportunity for improvement. In our project, we note the following:

Photogrammetry is not the right tool for homogeneous, dynamic environments with high reflectance values or complex geometries.
The hardware requirements for the proper functioning of the software are high, especially to attain quality details.
What is not captured in the photograph will not be reflected in the resulting information; for example, scans in dense areas of vegetation are problematic.

Nevertheless, several disciplines, such as architecture, urbanism, virtual reality, photography, design, and digital animation, among many others, are ideal for exploring the use of photogrammetry to develop quality projects.

Image 1. Orthomosaic of the Cathedral of Guadalajara, to register buildings and sites of general interest for their study and preservation. Self-elaboration (2021).

Preliminary project results

The preliminary results of the ongoing research indicate that implementing this technology in the teaching processes within the classroom is positive. Students are motivated to learn new technological tools that facilitate their work. Similarly, teachers have observed that students develop new competencies with a technological and digital approach to problem-solving. The final results of the research will be shared later through the Observatory once we have worked with the last sample of students.

Reflection

Undoubtedly, applying new technologies in design and architectural processes impacts these disciplines positively. Their implementation requires teachers to be prepared and trained to use these instruments. Also, we as teachers must rethink the traditional paradigms and promote data collection and analyses changes to guide our students more effectively to develop innovative solutions to current problems.

Finally, using these technological tools also leads us to discover and delve into areas where we might not conceive a direct relationship with our work, such as design and digital animation, programming, mixed realities, and even biology or philosophy. However, today we know that to the extent that we integrate various perspectives and areas of study, our projects will be more solid and enriching.

About the author

Architect Jordi Rábago (Jordi.rabago@tec.mx) is a professor at Tecnológico de Monterrey, León Campus. He holds a master’s degree in Biodigital Architecture. His areas of academic interest are digital technology, artificial intelligence, parametric design, virtual reality, augmented reality, the metaverse, photography, design, architecture, and urbanism.

Edited by Rubí Román (rubi.roman@tec.mx) – Observatory of Educational Innovation.

Translation by Daniel Wetta.

Novus is an initiative of the Institute for the Future of Education that seeks to strengthen the culture of educational innovation based on evidence in the professors of the Tecnológico de Monterrey. To do this, we provide funds to implement educational innovations and their impact measurement. We seek to disseminate, transfer, and scale the projects and their internationalization through peer-reviewed publications, conferences, and international competitions.

Our purpose is to encourage experimentation and research in educational innovation as a means for the professional development of the faculty, the continuous improvement of its teaching practice, and the construction of the future of education.

For more information, visit: https://novus.itesm.mx/

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