Trends: Drones Improving Inspections

Just a few years ago, drones were viewed as a novel inspection tool, with the systems typically only deployed for very specific missions to collect very specific data. As these platforms have proven their value, there’s been a shift: Drones have become integral to routine inspection plans across a variety of industries, including oil and gas, utilities and construction, and their involvement is only expected to grow.

UAS are becoming part of a structured way to collect data, whether through in-house programs or third parties, providing insights that go beyond this asset has a leak here or corrosion there. Decision-makers can look back on the maps and models created for a more wholistic view of their assets and sites. And the data collected is going higher up the management chain for decision making and is now being disseminated across groups. Images from one mission can be analyzed for various purposes, offering even more benefit for the companies deploying this technology.

Digital twins are also becoming more common, with the images collected during a drone flight used to recreate assets and even entire plants. Engineers and others can use these 3D models to complete inspections, store information, monitor change, schedule maintenance and predict when it might be time to retire an asset—and they can do it all without ever having to step foot inside a plant or on a construction site.

Then there are the payloads. Sensors are becoming even more sophisticated, with smaller payloads that can collect high-resolution imagery becoming the norm. Beyond RGB cameras, inspectors are routinely flying thermal and LiDAR sensors. And specialized sensors, such as optical gas imaging, to check for leaks and ultrasonics to measure metal thickness, are becoming more readily available.

As professionals increasingly rely on drones to safely complete inspections, manufacturers are responding to the need to make them easier to fly, enabling more companies to take advantage of the technology. Automation is of course the ultimate goal, opening up even more possibilities once achieved.