The energy sector as a whole is quickly adopting the use of drone technology for data capture and analysis. Given that inspections and maintenance in the energy sector can involve thousands of miles of pipelines or transmission lines running through multiple jurisdictions and ecosystems, the ability to automate inspection tasks, gather information quickly, and reduce man-hours is creating incredible efficiencies and cost-savings for energy companies.
Benefits of drones in energy & utilities
Drone technology can also be used to perform tasks that were not possible or economically feasible using traditional inspection methods.
Drones allow companies to increase the frequency of inspections and perform inspections on areas that were previously inaccessible, such as confined spaces or areas at height. Information obtained from these inspections allows companies to gather data they would otherwise be unable to access, while benefiting from greater standoff distance and decreased risk to aircraft.
Further, while understanding the current state of assets provides tremendous value, being able to gain a more accurate assessment of anticipated asset failure opens up entirely new opportunities for preventive maintenance.
Building a drone program in energy & utilities
The use of drones makes sense for companies of all sizes in the energy sector, but the best approach for integrating the technology depends on several factors.
Most companies are taking a hybrid approach to drone operations by internalizing some of the work and partnering with a drone contractor for the rest. Start by incorporating drones into your standard operating procedures, quantify the results, and then determine how to scale your drone program to help solve your core business challenges.
Digital Aerolus commercial drones
Most commercial drones are inherently unstable and inoperable near metal, in confined spaces, and in areas with poor GPS signals.
Digital Aerolus creates collision-tolerant commercial drones designed to navigate inaccessible and confined spaces. Because of our ground-breaking Proprietary Folded Geometry (FGC™) flight code, our drones safely and stably fly into areas where other drones cannot go, including areas that are GPS-denied.
Benefits of Digital Aerolus drones in energy & utilities
Digital Aerolus drones allow energy companies to increase efficiencies in numerous business practices that save time, save money, and increase worker safety.
- Reduced costs. The ability of our drones to reliably operate inside assets and confined spaces reduces costs associated with downtime.
- Improved access to dangerous or unstable areas. Our drones can fly in hard-to-reach and confined spaces where remote visual inspection with telephoto cameras is not achievable. Our drones are also authorized to inspect nuclear facilities, even inside the containment vessel, in the absence of any light.
Contact us today to learn more about our industrial drones, and how they can help your energy company improve inspection quality, increase worker safety, and reduce inspection costs.