The Rise of Drone Evidence in Apartment Defect Lawsuits
In recent years, the use of drones has revolutionized the way apartment defects are identified and documented. With a drone and a contract for an apartment complex, individuals can now earn between 20 million to 30 million Korean won. This shift has transformed the market for lawsuits over defects in new apartments into one of the most reliable and high-paying sectors for the drone industry.
Ending the Era of ‘Visual Estimates’ with Ropes
Historically, inspecting apartment defects required workers to descend from rooftops using a single rope or visually assess walls. This method often missed cracks and flaws on higher floors or in blind spots. However, with the rise of drone technology, residents now submit drone-captured images of exterior walls as evidence in court when filing lawsuits.
Drone companies are actively promoting their services to apartment residents by claiming that they can increase the settlement amounts in lawsuits. Their marketing materials include comparison charts showing significant increases in repair costs after drone surveys. For instance, one apartment in Jeonbuk initially demanded 90 million Korean won in repair costs, but after a drone survey, the amount increased to 726 million Korean won. Another complex in Suwon, Gyeonggi, saw its lawsuit amount rise from 231 million Korean won to 1.023 billion Korean won, nearly fivefold.
A legal industry source noted, “The trend is to pressure construction companies with solid evidence from the start rather than risk losses from vague investigations.” They added, “Drone data is becoming increasingly common in apartment defect lawsuits.”
Surging Apartment Defect Disputes
The surge in apartment defect disputes has fueled this trend. According to government statistics, the number of apartment defect dispute applications received by the Ministry of Land, Infrastructure and Transport rose from 3,027 cases in 2022, to 3,313 cases in 2023, and 3,922 cases in 2024. In 2025, the number already exceeded the previous year’s total, reaching 4,333 cases by October alone. The final annual figure is expected to approach 5,000 cases.
As the scale of disputes grew, the domestic drone industry expanded significantly. The number of officially registered drone businesses in South Korea jumped from around 4,000 in 2021 to 6,075 by the end of 2025. Among these, the number of drone companies specializing in apartment exterior diagnostics doubled from 520 in 2022 to 1,092 in 2025. Market revenue in this sector also doubled, from 83.1 billion Korean won in 2022 to 166.7 billion Korean won in 2025. The apartment defect lawsuit market has become a steady source of income for the drone industry.
Detecting Cracks as Thin as a Hair
Drone companies have partnered with law firms specializing in apartment defect lawsuits. These law firms propose to residents, “We’ll collect legal fees after winning the case,” while relying on drone companies’ precision imaging as a key weapon for victory. This has led to a collaborative structure where law firms draft lawsuits and drone companies provide evidence.
Pricing is based on the number of apartment buildings (棟), not per drone operator’s daily wage. Exterior wall imaging typically costs between 500,000 and 1.5 million Korean won per building. For large complexes with over 10 buildings, the total bill for imaging and analysis ranges from 15 million to 30 million Korean won.
It’s not just about taking photos. Specialized companies are flooding the market, creating 3D models from tens of thousands of images and analyzing them. By combining drone footage with AI technology, they pinpoint even hairline cracks, specifying the exact building and unit number. For providing court-admissible evidence, they charge tens of millions of won for their technology.
A drone startup representative said, “Word has spread that spending tens of millions of won can extract hundreds of millions more in compensation from construction companies, leading to a surge in inquiries from large apartment complexes nationwide.”
Construction Companies Adopt Drones to Counter Lawsuits
Amid this trend, major construction companies are adopting drone technology to counter lawsuits. They proactively inspect exterior walls with drones before and after construction to fix defects early and avoid legal disputes. A construction company official said, “The old approach of sloppy repairs can’t withstand residents’ scientific drone evidence,” adding, “Using drones has become essential for construction companies to reduce risks during the building process.”
Additional Information
월 5900원 멤버십, 신문 독자에게는 2900원, 조선멤버십
55000원 상당의 신문-잡지 8종 마음껏 보기, 조선멤버십
현금처럼 쓸 7000포인트 받아 알뜰한 쇼핑, 조선멤버십
No comments:
Post a Comment