PCL uses DroneDeploy to document Augusta Arena build

PCL Construction is using DroneDeploy to create a continuous visual record of the $250 million New Augusta Arena in downtown Augusta, Georgia, as the 10,500-seat project moves toward a 2027 opening. The approach is meant to give owners, designers and field teams the same real-time view of progress and help catch issues before they trigger rework.

Why it matters: - The New Augusta Arena is a $250 million civic project expected to generate $1.6 billion in regional economic impact. - A single, time-stamped record can help owners and contractors spot issues earlier and reduce costly rework. - The arena is set to become a major public venue, with about 100 events a year and home ice for the Augusta Lynx minor league hockey team.

What happened: - DroneDeploy said PCL Construction is using its platform to track every phase of the New Augusta Arena project in downtown Augusta, Georgia. - The arena will seat 10,500 and replace the original Augusta arena when it opens in 2027. - PCL began capturing photos and videos before ground was broken and has kept recording through demolition, excavation, foundation work and steel erection.

The details: - A fixed jobsite timelapse camera and recurring aerial drone flights are producing a continuous visual record of the site. - Project engineers use 360-degree cameras to document the structure as it rises. - Drones and 360-degree cameras inspect every elevated deck before concrete is poured. - As mechanical, electrical and plumbing rough-in begins, PCL is continuing interior documentation with DroneDeploy Ground. - The project is owned by the Augusta-Richmond County Coliseum Authority. - Richmond County voters approved the half-cent special-purpose local-option sales tax that helps fund the arena in 2023. - The arena is projected to create 600 permanent jobs.

Between the lines: - The project shows how reality-capture tools are moving from a nice-to-have to a standard workflow on large jobs. - PCL has standardized aerial and ground reality capture across more than 1,000 active projects under a multi-year agreement signed in 2024. - DroneDeploy said PCL has logged more than 3 million 360-degree walks, 10,000 drone flights and 45 million images across 2,000 projects, with more than 2,000 monthly active users. - PCL’s sports and entertainment portfolio also includes work at Dodger Stadium, BMO Stadium, Scotiabank Arena, BMO Field and Rogers Centre. - At Horizons 2025, DroneDeploy’s annual conference, PCL received the inaugural Reality Capture Program of the Year (Americas) award.

What's next: - The New Augusta Arena is expected to open in 2027. - Once open, the venue is expected to host an estimated 100 events annually. - The broader PCL-DroneDeploy rollout will continue across the contractor’s active projects.

The bottom line: - PCL is turning the Augusta Arena build into a live, shared digital record, giving the owner and project teams the same view of progress from demolition to opening.