CASE C16 · US ·
Brooklyn Army Terminal: drone scanning of elevator and MEP shafts before refurbishment
At the Brooklyn Army Terminal, being refurbished by NYCEDC, elevator and MEP shafts were scanned with a caged LiDAR drone. Only a small wall opening was needed and data capture took one day and eight flights. Savings were not quantified, and the source is a manufacturer article.
| Owner | New York City Economic Development Corporation (NYCEDC) |
| Provider | Gedeon GRC Consulting; MFE Inspection Solutions |
| Location | Brooklyn, New York, United States |
| Aircraft | Flyability Elios 3 with Surveying Payload |
| Sensors | LiDAR, 4K camera |
Before
Rope access and confined-space entry, needing an 8×10 ft wall opening and likely several days.
With drones
A 2×2 ft hole was cut and the drone flown into each shaft; LiDAR data were merged into the building scan.
Outcomes
| Metric | Value | Basis |
|---|---|---|
| data collection | 1 day, 8 flights, under 25 minutes per location | Reported |
| access opening | 2×2 ft instead of 8×10 ft | Reported |
| cost | not quantified | Reported |
Caveats & limits
- Manufacturer case study; year not stated; savings not quantified.
- Cutting the wall was the slowest step; large shafts needed a second flight; point clouds needed alignment in separate software.
Sources
- Inspecting Elevator Shafts with the Elios 3 in New YorkFlyability Full text read
Sources checked: 2026-10-22