The application of drones in the construction industry, particularly for inspecting the building exterior walls, is advancing and currently at the implementation stage. One notable technique for safe drone operation involves the use of mooring devices. This study evaluated the safety and efficacy of drone equipped with mooring devices for exterior wall inspections. We explored the risk reduction benefits of using mooring devices by categorizing and characterizing standard safety and mooring devices, and conducting a risk assessment following JIS B 9700. The findings indicate that mooring devices substantially decrease the risks associated with drone use, with two-point mooring systems proving to be the most effective. Moreover, we compared drone-based inspections to traditional ground-based visual inspections for high-rise buildings. Although drone inspections required more time and personnel, the safety was enhanced by the use of mooring devices and able to capture comprehensive photographs across the entire wall surface.
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