Ship inspection by high-flying robots! Drone-based remote structural surveys could cut costs and save valuable time

During ship construction and thereafter during the operational life of a vessel, a number of inspections and surveys are required to be carried out. In this regard, a recent innovation is described below.

Unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) are increasingly being used for a variety of tasks in the maritime industry to save time, money and, wherever possible, to increase operational efficiency.

With shipbuilders, for example, continually looking for cost-saving innovations and new ways to speed up production, UAVs - more commonly referred to as drone technology - potentially provide a cost-effective solution for many aspects within the construction and maintenance processes.

Ship surveys and inspection work are the type of tasks which could be performed by UAVs and pioneering demonstration tests have recently been carried out in a Polish shipyard to gauge the capability of drones for this essential work. This latest use of ever-evolving drone technology has taken place at the Remontova ship repair yard and involved a flying robot inspecting internal spaces on a ship following an overhaul.

The inspection was carried out on the chemical and product tanker CPO Japan. Conducted by the DNV GL classification team based in Gdansk, Poland, camera-equipped drones were used to visually check the condition of remote structural components through a video streamed to a tablet which was also recorded for review and documentation. One surveyor operated the drone while a second checked the video feed in real time.

The drone was able to access all areas inside the vessel's cargo tanks and, with its powerful headlight and high-definition camera, successfully produced video footage considered to be good enough quality-wise for initial inspection purposes. Traditional close-up surveys may still be required if any structural damage is detected.

According to the surveyors managing the technology demonstration tests, the UAV was remarkably stable in confined spaces as it produced the necessary visual inspection material. Its stability was such that it even managed to rest against the bulkhead while hovering. Contact with the tank wall is possible because of the special frames which protect the propellers.

"We have been looking at ways we could help our customers by accelerating the survey process," says Cezary Galinski, manager of the DNV GL maritime classification flying squad in Gdansk. "Camera-equipped drones are now much more widely available and affordable, and by using them for a first screening we can identify areas that require closer inspection quickly and without extensive staging which can be both costly and time-consuming."

Visual inspection by drones may also prove to be very useful in helping to remove the need for more detailed, hands-on inspections, such as ultrasound thickness measurements, which would avoid the time-consuming and costly expense of erecting scaffolding.

We compliment the team of DNV GL and Remontova shipyard, Poland for the above innovation and look forward to the benefits that would accrue to the shipping industry in savings in time and cost, and enhancement of safety during inspections and surveys.