How Drones Are Being Used In Different Industries

Drones have quickly taken over multiple industries and have proven they come with many benefits. By using a drone to collect visual data on the condition of an asset, drone inspections help inspectors avoid having to place themselves in dangerous situations. Along with safety benefits, drones also offer remote monitoring. This is something that helps keep projects on track while staying on budget, proving that drones offer cost cutting benefits as well.

Visual inspections are critical to ensuring the proper maintenance of a company’s assets. After all, it’s a lot easier, not to mention cheaper, to replace a few rivets on a tower than to build a brand new tower.But visual inspections aren’t just about saving money. They’re also about saving lives.

While it’s true that most drone inspections are visual inspections drones can also be equipped with special sensors that allow them to perform other kinds of inspections. There are several organizations like API and ASME devoted to creating standards and training materials for various industries in which inspections are performed, and their standards are mandated by law in most countries throughout the world.

Below we will mention how drones are being used in different industries and their benefits.

Chemical Industry

The Chemical Industry utilizes inspections that deals with companies making chemicals or providing storage for them as a business. The need for strict maintenance procedures with these inspections is clear.

Any leak as a result of a poorly maintained storage container could result in severe consequences, including problems or scenarios that could pose serious health risks for those in the area.

One major benefit of using drones for inspections in the chemical industry is in reducing exposure to potentially harmful materials.

What Should Be Inspected

1. Pipe racks

2. Cables

3. Conduits

4. Fermenter tanks

5. Pressure vessels / Storage tanks

6. Fiberglass storage tanks

7. Suction ducts

8. Heat exchangers

9. Storage silos and bins

Construction Industry

Drone Inspections have been used throughout the Construction Industry for a while now. They help gather data through remote monitoring in order to keep projects on track.

Here are some of the benefits that construction companies are getting from drones:

1. Increased accuracy in reporting

2. Increased regularity of reporting

3. Improving safety conditions by quickly spotting problems onsite

4. Improving efficiency of operations

Of all the benefits of using a drone on a construction site, one of the biggest is in avoiding potential delays. By increasing their regularity of data collection and reporting, construction companies can spot problems well in advance, and avoid running over budget.

What Should Be Inspected

1. Land

2. Construction site—building itself and surrounding area)

3. Stockpiles / aggregates onsite

4. Fencing and related safety conditions—to prevent civilians from entering the site

5. Safety conditions for the crew—to identify potential problem areas before anyone is injured