Visual Inspection

External (Outside) Services

Our pilots are Transport Canada certified and well versed in industrial facility inspection.

This is important as it allows us to compliantly operate in complex airspace when required. Using the Matrice 210-RTK paired with the Z30 and Flir XT2 payloads, we are able to offer an industry leading inspection. The two payloads operate simultaneously to capture visual or thermal imagery, which is then further assessed and prepared as an inspection results and recommendations document.

Internal (Inside) Services

When it comes to indoor flying, confined spaces often pose challenging inspection environments.

Fortunately, as new technology develops, the need for human occupancy inside these spaces is decreasing. We are equipped with the worlds leading collision tolerant UAS platforms that allow a thorough inspection while staying out of harms way. Flyability’s Elios 2 and Elios 1 allow the inspector to remotely capture the entirety of a complex asset, while not having to cross the plane. Ultimately resulting in more efficient and safer inspection completion.

Assets that benefit from Drone Inspection

Boilers / Furnaces

Heat is Efficiency & Efficiency is Money. Drone technology is eliminating or reducing downtime, keeping workers out of confined spaces, and ultimately delivering inspection results many times faster than traditional methods. Below are some of the components commonly inspected.

External

Pipe Supports
Waterwall
Casing
Manways
Insulation / Strapping
Welds
Venting
Temperature and Pressure Gauges
Instrumentation

Internal

Tube supports including Bolt Up
Hangars
Clips
Welds
Refractory
Temperature and Pressure Probes
Shock Tubes
Burners
Injection Nozzles
Coatings

Storage Tanks/ Silos

Tanks may be simple to look at but are complex. Leveraging drone technology in and around these assets yields immediate safety and economic benefits. Less confined space entries, less scaffold, ultimately less risk.

External

Roof (Nozzles and Fugitive Gas Emissions)
Plumbing
Thief Hatch
Platform Attachment Points
Liquid Levels
Lifting Lugs
Vents & Vent Screens
PVRVs

Internal

Rafters
Coatings / Liners
Anodes
Welds
Overflow Piping
Heating Coils
Crowsnest Support

Pressure Vessels

Under pressure to keep facilities producing at peak performance, pressure vessels are vital to any process and therefore optimizing uptime is paramount. By utilizing drones in certain situations, we can forego confined space entry permits, rope access techniques, aerial work platforms and scaffold leading to substantially less downtime.

External

Nozzles
Flange / Bolt Up
Insulation / Strapping
Temperature and Pressure Gauges
Davit Arms
PSVs
Site Glasses
Level Bottles

Internal

Weld Seems
Coatings
Temperature and Pressure Probes
Boots
Baffles / Weirs
De-Mister Rings / Pads
Trays
Deflector Plates

Stacks / chimneys

Conventional methods of inspection require the asset to be shut down or involve expensive equipment such as cranes or helicopters. The inherent risk involved with these inspections warrants on an innovative angle. Drones carry incredible optical and infrared sensors capable of high-quality inspections at the fraction of the cost. Below are a few components commonly included during an inspection.

External

Flanges & Bolt Up
Guy Wires
Steam Lines & Nozzles
Flare Tip
Insulation & Strapping
Radiant Fins
Concrete / Brick / Structure

Internal

Weld
Coatings / Liners
Ash Hopper
Concrete / Brick / Structure
Expansion Joints

Piping / Pipelines

Assessing specific sections of piping, specifically at height in areas removed from platforms and catwalks can be a dangerous and laborious process. With respect to pipeline, the obstacles introduced solely by the environment warrants an innovative approach. By using different drone technology, designed to solve specific problems, we can synergize safety and efficiency.

External

Pipe Supports & Shoes
Dummy Legs
Welds
Spring Gauges
Insulation & Strapping
Frozen Lines
Flanges and Bolt Up
Leaks
Right of Way
Encroachment

Internal (Greater than 18″ OD)

Wash Out
Blockages
Coating & Liners
Overlay
Weld Roots
Expansion Loop Joints
Temperature and Pressure Probes

Industrial Ducting

An important component of any facility is the ducting responsible for air movement. Whether for atmospheric or process applications, the ducting is subject to damage reducing airflows and therefore efficiency. By utilizing commercial-grade UAV systems, specifically built for certain applications, we can safely and efficiently access this infrastructure typically located high overhead.

Sewers / Culverts

It’s hard to imagine anyone enjoying entering a sewer system to perform an inspection, and now, with collision tolerant, self-lighting drones, they don’t have to. Fly over low levels of running water, into the most unpleasant areas in the industry searching for blockages, cracking and crumbling as you stand firm on the ground above.

Wind Turbine Generators

With an ever increasing need for environmentally viable energy solutions, we are beginning to take notice of a growing amount of wind turbine generators. These giant structures are subject to a number of deterioration mechanisms and require regular maintenance to ensure continued efficiency and safe operation. Thanks to our well trained crews and unmatched systematic approach, we can complete a 100% coverage blade inspection with minimal downtime. Capturing pressure side, suction side, leading and trailing edges of all 3 blades in 30 minutes or less! The high resolution imagery is then submitted to post processing for defect classification and measurement. Quick and easy detection of:

Blade Erosion
De-lamination
Lightning Strike
Vortex Generator Damage
Gel Coat Deficiencies
Shape Defects
Friction Impingement Points (Infrared)
Turbine Hotspots (Infrared)

We're Ready to Help!

Whether you have a question about our operations or a job that needs completing,
we have the answer!

Get in Touch