Hawaii Pacific Drone Solutions CEO and Chief Pilot, Gabe Hanohano, had the honor of speaking at this year’s Hawai’i Dept. of Transportation (HDOT) Protect Our Water Conference 2025at the Koolau Ballrooms. Our session titled “Drones in SWPPP: Field Tested Practices That Work” brought together inspectors, engineers, contractors, and environmental specialists who are shaping Hawaii’s construction landscape.

We opened the session by focusing on the everyday challenges that project teams face on job sites. These challenges include long walks to access inspection points, safety exposure near active traffic, and the constant pressure to document BMP conditions clearly and consistently.

Our presentation demonstrated how drone based workflows solve these issues. Aerial imagery gives teams a full site view in minutes and reduces the need for repeated site walks. This approach supports faster inspections, safer workflows, and stronger compliance reporting.

Attendees were especially interested in how aerial data reveals erosion patterns, sediment tracking, and perimeter changes that may be missed during on foot inspections. Many told us they could immediately see how drones would improve their own stormwater compliance efforts.

We highlighted field tested techniques that help project managers create consistent documentation for audits, closeout packages, and environmental reports. These methods are simple to apply and work across projects of all sizes.

We are deeply grateful to the Hawaii Department of Transportation and the conference organizers for inviting HPDS to share our experience. It was inspiring to see such a strong commitment to protecting Hawaii’s waterways and improving construction practices statewide.

Our team is excited to continue supporting Hawaii’s construction and environmental community with reliable drone imaging, thermal inspections, and 3D modeling. If you are interested in learning how drones can strengthen your SWPPP workflow, HPDS is here to help.

Mahalo for being part of this journey and for supporting safer, smarter, and more efficient project operations across our islands.