A complete walkthrough of how SkyGator approaches a full-lifecycle AEC engagement — from pre-construction baseline through final digital twin hand-off. This is the standard we hold every project to.
SkyGator was engaged at the permit stage and remained active through certificate of occupancy — providing continuous aerial and ground-level documentation at each critical phase of construction.
Before a single shovel turned, SkyGator flew the site to establish a georeferenced baseline of existing conditions. This included surrounding structures, grade elevations, utility access points, and neighboring property boundaries — creating the "before" record that all future captures would be compared against.
Bi-weekly aerial captures tracked earthwork progress and verified grading against civil engineering plans. Volumetric calculations confirmed cut/fill quantities, flagging a 12% over-excavation in the northeast corner before it became a costly correction. The GC used this data to negotiate with the earthwork sub before the work was buried.
With structural framing complete and MEP rough-ins underway, SkyGator conducted four ground-level capture sessions — one for each MEP trade — before drywall installation. Every wall cavity, ceiling space, conduit run, drain line, and HVAC duct was photographed in 8K 360° and pinned to the digital floor plan. Six months later, this data prevented an estimated $34,000 in exploratory demolition when a plumbing leak was traced without opening a single wall.
As interior finishes progressed, SkyGator conducted weekly 360° walkthroughs of all three floors. The out-of-state ownership group accessed a new shareable link each Friday — virtually walking the building from their offices in Chicago without a single flight to Florida. Time-Travel comparison sliders let them view the same room across any two dates, tracking finish quality and punch list completion in real time.
At project close, SkyGator compiled all aerial and ground-level data captured across 36 weeks into a unified digital twin — handed off to the facility manager as a permanent, navigable record of the as-built building. The twin includes the exterior aerial model, all interior walkthrough sessions, the complete MEP X-Ray layer, and dimensioned as-built floor plans extracted from captured data.
"Having the MEP walkthroughs saved us from tearing open a finished wall during a warranty claim. We pulled up the 360° capture, found the drain line in thirty seconds, and made the repair through a four-inch access panel instead of a four-foot opening."
"I was in Chicago for the entire interior build-out and never once felt like I didn't know what was happening on site. Every Friday I walked the building. That level of visibility changed how we think about remote project oversight."
Every SkyGator project is priced based on site size, capture frequency, deliverable requirements, and project complexity. We don't publish flat rates because a one-size-fits-all quote would either overcharge a simple project or underserve a complex one. Your scope request gives us everything we need to provide a specific, accurate proposal — usually within 24 hours.
We're happy to connect prospective clients with project references upon request. If you'd like to speak with someone who has worked with SkyGator before committing to an engagement, just ask. We'll make the introduction.
COI, FAA Part 107 certificate, and LAANC authorization documentation are available upon request for all commercial engagements. We understand that your procurement team has requirements — we're ready for them.
Whether you need a single aerial survey or a full lifecycle engagement from ground break to hand-off — SkyGator has the capability, the methodology, and the professional discipline to deliver data your team can act on.