Innovations in Drone Inspection Technology for Coating Assessment
The recent advances in drone technology have made a significant impact on many industries. When it comes to industrial coating assessment, drones have completely transformed how this complex process is approached by industries. Drones can not only reach areas that are hard to access, but the advanced ones also come with excellent imaging capabilities. This is why drones are now a preferred choice for faster, safer, and more accurate assessment of industrial assets.
Limitations of Traditional Asset Inspections
The traditional way of assessing industrial assets is a manual process, which may require rope access, scaffolding, or working on elevated platforms. However, these methods are labour intensive, require a lot of time, and can be quite expensive. Moreover, these methods often expose the workers to work environments that are extremely dangerous.
Inspectors face logistical challenges while assessing confined or remote areas. If a certain industrial asset can’t be reached, it is impossible for them to gather detailed data. This can lead to inaccurate or incomplete assessments.
Advantages of Drone Assisted Coating Assessment
All the limitations of traditional coating inspection methodologies can be addressed by today’s sophisticated drones equipped with high-resolution cameras, advanced sensors, and thermal imaging capability.
Easy Access: Remote areas, elevated structures, and confined spaces that are difficult or dangerous for humans to access can be navigated easily by drones.
High-Quality Data: Drones can capture detailed thermal as well as visual data, thanks to their advanced imaging technology. As a result, they can generate high resolution videos and images to help detect coating degradations, cracks, and surface anomalies with exceptional accuracy. With thermal imaging, we can detect temperature variations, which may indicate moisture ingress or other issues.
Worker Safety: Drone inspection eliminates the need for personnel to access areas that compromise their safety. Assessments can be carried out from a safe distance without any impact on assessment quality.
Time and Cost: By streamlining the process, drones can significantly reduce labour cost and minimise downtime. By quick completion of assessment, it also allows to take critical maintenance decisions quickly.
Recent Innovations
The utility of drones in assessing industrial coatings has been enhanced further by the recent advancements in this technology.
3D Mapping: It is now possible to create 3D models of an industrial asset using drones. This allows for more detailed analysis and precise planning for the purpose of repair and maintenance.
Artificial Intelligence: Inspection data can be analysed in real-time by integrating algorithms into drones. This allows identifying potential coating related issues without conducting manual reviews.
Autonomous Navigation: The latest drones available nowadays are equipped with autonomous flight feature. This feature allows drones to follow routes that are pre-programmed and maintain a consistent pattern of inspection.
Coating Inspections with Drones: The Future
The use of drones in coating inspection is likely to expand as the technology continues to evolve over time. Some of the innovations may include on-site analysis by augmented reality (AR) integration, longer inspections with enhanced battery life, and even conducting minor repairs while inspecting the assets with the help of robotic attachments.
At Coating Management Solutions (CMS), we specialise in corrosion and coating inspection and control for different industries. We have a large pool of certified NACE inspectors for all your coating assessment needs.