New research has revealed how using drone technology in the construction industry could help save billions of pounds in cost savings through increased productivity.

A report by PwC states that, with more than 76,000 drones expected to be in use across UK sites by 2030, the technology could help achieve up to £16 billion in net cost savings for the sector.

PwC also estimates there will be 628,000 people working in the drone economy by 2030, with the technology holding the potential to generate £8.6bn of GDP uplift for the construction and manufacturing industry.

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Elaine Whyte, UK Drones Leader at PwC, said: "Drones have the potential to offer a powerful new perspective for businesses across a variety of industries, delivering both productivity benefits and increased value from the data they collect.

"The UK has the opportunity to be at the leading edge of exploiting this emerging technology, and now is the time for investments to be made in developing the use cases and trial projects needed to kickstart our drone industry."

Jonathan Gillham, Economics Director at PwC, added: "Drones could spark significant improvements in the UK economy.

"The rise in GDP and job creation from drones uptake are expected to be substantial, but productivity is likely to see the greatest gains. By automating routine tasks, improving effectiveness, safety and reducing costs, drones will free up people to focus on higher-value work."

(LM/MH)