ARC Document Solutions, Inc., a document and information management solutions provider for the architecture, engineering, and construction (AEC) industry, announced the results of an industry survey that reveal participants’ views on emerging technologies, including Big Data, drones, and the internet of things (IoT).

The top prediction, named by 65.3 percent of respondents, is that virtual reality applications will be used much more in the future to experience a building’s design before it is built.

Virtual reality in the construction industry is characterized by the creation and use of three-dimensional computerized modeling. Such models are used to facilitate project management, detect problems before actual construction occurs, design workflow sequencing, and to improve client interactions.

Another top technology trend, identified by 61.9 percent of the respondents, is the growing use of drones for surveying and for photo and video documentation. More than 60 percent recognized drones’ ability to help with mapping and surveying, inspection, and creating image-based records as their primary benefits. Close to half of the participants named improved surveillance and safety as the top benefit of drone use by AEC professionals.

Most AEC professionals predicted that the adoption of these new virtual reality and drone technologies will occur in the near future, with 64 percent stating that they are likely to be in common use within the next five to ten years.

According to survey findings, the future of the AEC industry will also be characterized by the absence of paper and the use of virtual technology to address not only two-dimensional drawing and three-dimensional modeling but also for project sequencing, cost estimating, sustainability, and facilities management.

The AEC industry will also see increased use of IoT. According to ARC’s survey, the top benefit of IoT will be to enable the collection and exchange of data on a job site. It will help industry professionals by improving onsite/offsite equipment management; pinpointing reasons behind delays; and giving clear indicators of project delays.

Big Data is also very prominent on the AEC industry’s radar. The top advantages of Big Data, according to the respondents, are to help improve planning and decision-making by providing granular, real-time data about utilization and usage patterns, enabling project leaders and owners to improve demand forecasts as well as their future project progress monitoring.

“The survey results confirm what we’re already seeing across this enormous and influential industry,” said K. “Suri” Suriyakumar, Chairman, President and CEO of ARC Document Solutions. “Transformative technological change is well under way, and its adoption will only accelerate in the future. These technologies will bring unprecedented collaboration, coordination and connectivity in the AEC industry, increasing efficiency, bringing down costs, and making the industry more competitive.”