10 ways drones are redefining industrial inspection

The industrial Maintenance is facing a radical change - and drones are the key to this. They are replacing time-consuming and risky traditional Inspection methodsreduce downtimes and provide precise data in real time. With technologies such as LiDAR and the creation of digital twins, drones are revolutionising the way in which Industrial plants are maintained and monitored. Discover how Drone inspections increase efficiency, reduce costs and at the same time ensure the safety of employees.

How drone inspections are revolutionising industrial maintenance

In industrial maintenance, precise and regular inspections are essential to ensure the smooth operation of plants. Traditional inspection methods that required climbers, scaffolding or elaborate preparations are often expensive, time-consuming and pose significant safety risks. Drones have fundamentally changed these processes and are revolutionising the way inspections are carried out. With advanced technologies such as LiDAR and the ability to create digital twins, drones enable precise and comprehensive analyses of plants in the shortest possible time. Especially in power plants and hard-to-reach areas, drones offer flexible and efficient solutions that minimise downtime and significantly reduce long-term maintenance costs.

1. access to extremely narrow and dangerous areas

Challenge: Traditional inspections often require employees to enter confined, dangerous or hard-to-reach areas such as tanks, chimneys, silos and boilers. Such tasks are risky and time-consuming, as scaffolding often needs to be erected or climbers need to be deployed.
Solution: Drones such as the Flyability Elios 3 allow direct access to these areas without people having to enter dangerous environments. The drones navigate safely through confined spaces while capturing high-resolution images and videos. This ensures an efficient inspection without additional hazards for employees.
Benefit for the system operator: The use of drones increases the safety of employees as they no longer have to be sent into dangerous environments. The operator also saves time and money, as no climbing equipment or scaffolding is required and inspections can be carried out more quickly.

2. significant reduction in downtimes

Challenge: Conventional inspection methods often lead to production being interrupted or systems having to be taken out of operation. Production downtimes cause enormous costs.
Solution: Drones can carry out certain inspections during ongoing operations without interrupting production. In other cases, shorter plant shutdowns can be used to collect large amounts of data in a short period of time.
Benefit for the system operator: As production downtime is minimised, operators can get their systems back into operation more quickly. This results in less downtime, higher productivity and lower costs.

3. massive cost savings by dispensing with traditional inspection methods

Challenge: The use of climbers, the construction of scaffolding or the use of cranes causes high costs. In addition, long system downtimes increase the overall costs for the operator.
Solution: Drones can efficiently replace these traditional inspection methods as they do not require scaffolding, cranes or complex safety measures. Drones can be used flexibly and provide the necessary inspection data quickly.
Benefit for the system operator: The savings in equipment, personnel and time are considerable. The use of drones makes the inspection process faster and more cost-efficient, as less preparation is required.

4 LiDAR technology and the creation of digital twins

Challenge: Traditional industrial inspection does not provide an easy way to create detailed 3D models of complex industrial assets such as tanks, boilers or chimneys. Without these models, precise analyses are difficult.
Solution: Drones with LiDAR technology create point clouds during the inspection that can be used to generate digital twins of systems. These detailed 3D models provide a comprehensive visualisation of the systems and enable precise analysis.
Benefit for the system operator: The use of Digital Twins provides operators with a precise overview of the condition of their systems and helps to identify problems and plan preventive maintenance measures, which increases efficiency and reduces costs.

5. precise detection of corrosion, material fatigue and structural defects

Challenge: Damage such as corrosion or material fatigue is often difficult to recognise, especially in areas that are difficult to access. They are often only discovered when they have already led to expensive repairs.
Solution: Drones equipped with high-resolution cameras, thermal cameras and other sensors can detect even the smallest damage in industrial assets such as tanks or pipelines at an early stage. This precise data can be analysed in real time.
Benefit for the system operator: Early detection of damage prevents unplanned system downtime and unscheduled repairs. Plant operators can react proactively and create accurate reports that serve as a basis for maintenance decisions.

6. flexibility in the inspection of different asset types

Challenge: Industrial plants consist of a variety of different facilities such as tanks, silos, cyclones, industrial furnaces, chimneys and pipework. Each of these structures requires specialised inspection methods, making inspections complex and costly.
Solution: Drones are extremely versatile and can be used to inspect a wide range of industrial assets. They can be easily adapted to different requirements and provide precise data for all types of plant.
Benefit for the system operator: The flexibility of drones saves time and money, as they can be used for different types of plant without the need for additional specialised equipment. This greatly simplifies the planning and execution of inspections.

7. improvement of occupational safety through the use of drones

Challenge: Traditional inspections often expose employees to hazardous work, e.g. climbing chimneys or entering confined, dangerous spaces such as tanks. This work is sometimes associated with high safety risks.
Solution: Drones take over these dangerous tasks and enable employees to stay safely on the ground. The drones fly into dangerous areas and provide precise data without putting people at risk.
Benefit for the system operator: Drone inspections significantly increase employee safety. There are fewer risks of accidents, resulting in less downtime and lower insurance and liability costs.

8. preventive maintenance through early damage detection

Challenge: Without regular inspections, damage such as corrosion or cracks can remain undetected until they lead to major system failures or safety risks.
Solution: Drones enable frequent and detailed inspections, allowing damage to be recognised at an early stage. This gives the system operator the opportunity to take action at an early stage before major repairs become necessary.
Benefit for the system operator: Timely early damage detection minimises expensive emergency repairs and extends the service life of the systems. Plant operators benefit from detailed reports that can be integrated into maintenance strategies.

9. redundant inspection methods: climbers, scaffolding and cranes

Challenge: Climbers, scaffolding or cranes are often used to inspect hard-to-reach or high industrial assets such as flares, chimneys or silos. These methods are cost-intensive and time-consuming.
Solution: Drones replace conventional inspection methods by quickly and safely reaching areas that are difficult to access.
Benefit for the system operator: Drones enable faster and more cost-efficient inspections as they can be used flexibly.

10. real-time data transmission and immediate decisions

Challenge: In traditional inspections, the collected data often has to be analysed manually, which leads to delays and makes it difficult to make quick decisions.
Solution: Drones provide real-time data that enables the operator to react directly to problems during the inspection. Maintenance managers can monitor the data live and take immediate action if damage is detected.
Benefit for the system operator: The rapid availability of inspection data makes it possible to react more quickly to problems and optimise the maintenance process. Decisions can be made quickly, which reduces downtimes and costs.

Conclusion

The use of drones in industrial maintenance has proven to be a revolutionary solution that not only significantly reduces costs and downtime, but also considerably improves employee safety. While traditional inspection methods are often expensive, time-consuming and dangerous, drones offer a fast, flexible and precise alternative. Thanks to cutting-edge technologies such as LiDAR and the creation of digital twins, industrial plant operators can gain detailed insights into the condition of their facilities and take proactive measures for maintenance.

The ability to minimise damage such as Corrosion or Material fatigue recognising problems at an early stage means that expensive repairs and unplanned downtime can be avoided. At the same time, real-time data transmission enables an immediate response to any problems detected, making the entire maintenance process more efficient. Overall, drone inspections offer a forward-looking solution that not only provides operators with economic benefits, but also extends the service life of their systems and increases operational safety.

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Frequently asked questions

Which special sensors make drones particularly useful for safety during inspections?

Sensors such as thermal imaging cameras, LiDAR and multi-gas sensors enable the detection of risks such as overheating, structural weaknesses and hazardous gases without inspectors having to expose themselves directly to these dangers.

How do drones contribute to reducing downtimes in plants?

Drones can carry out inspections without having to shut down systems. This reduces downtimes and helps to keep operations running safely and efficiently.

To what extent do drones improve the overview of areas that are difficult to access?

With their 360-degree manoeuvrability and compact design, drones can reach areas that are difficult for humans to access, such as narrow shafts or angled pipe systems.

What role does drone technology play in rapid damage assessment?

Drones enable immediate reconnaissance and visual inspection after incidents or extreme weather events, so that potential damage can be recognised more quickly and safely assessed.

How do drones contribute to occupational safety in high-risk environments?

In hazardous industrial areas such as chemical plants or refineries, drones can detect and monitor contamination or explosion risks without exposing people to these dangers.

How do drones support emergency planning and security?

Drones provide real-time data that helps with emergency planning, evacuation planning and safety monitoring. This allows the inspection team to monitor critical areas in real time and prepare targeted measures.

What advantages do drones offer for inspecting tall structures?

Drones eliminate the need for lifting platforms, scaffolding and climbing equipment for inspections on high structures, thereby reducing the risk of falls and other accidents at height.

How can drones improve maintenance processes in the long term?

Regular inspections with drones detect and repair minor damage at an early stage before it leads to major problems. This increases plant safety and helps to better plan maintenance work.

How do drones ensure complete documentation of the inspection results?

Drones capture data in real time, which can be saved immediately and used for comprehensive analysis and documentation. The seamless recording enables sound and reliable decision-making in system maintenance.