An unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) is a versatile tool for performing aerial survey work not only on the surface, but also for inspecting confined spaces for industrial enterprises.

The use of UAVs for confined space inspection reduces costs, risks and downtime of facilities associated with the production of such work. The technology allows for the inspection of any type of confined space remotely and without the need for people to be present in this area.

The need for confined space inspection is present in almost all industries. Strict control regulations, HSSE guidelines and aging assets require frequent, thorough and more complex inspections of elements such as tanks, sewer pipes, shafts, chimneys, boilers, manholes or underground cable ducts.

Working in a confined space typically involves the following risks:

Insufficient oxygen for the worker to breathe or the presence of asphyxiating factors

Presence of hazardous chemical or biological substances

Risk of fire or explosion

“Mechanical” hazards: moving parts of equipment, snagging, entanglement, slipping, falling, collapse or falling debris

However, when inspecting confined spaces, important factors include expensive infrastructure downtime, as well as the time required to prepare the entrance to the confined space and set up a possible access method, such as scaffolding, which often results in the immobilization of expensive assets.

It is no surprise that a large number of industrial enterprises that KazUAV cooperates with in the energy, oil and gas, marine and chemical industries are looking for new solutions to the problem of replacing the risky, slow and expensive entry of people for visual inspection of hazardous objects. Tanks, factory premises, pumping stations, tankers, ventilation shafts, tower structures and any other objects inaccessible without special equipment can be inspected in the shortest possible time with the issuance of detailed reports on the violations detected.

Any slightest deviation can lead to equipment failure. In order to exclude such a possibility, it is necessary to conduct periodic inspections, compile detailed reports and analyze them. UAVs equipped with high-resolution video/photo cameras and thermal imaging cameras allow inspection of the exhaust pipe without actually putting it out of action. Visible spectrum data (RGB) obtained from a video/photo camera allows you to detect visually distinguishable defects and potential problems. Infrared spectrum data (IR) from a thermal imaging camera helps to detect traces of uneven combustion or clogged nozzles. Also, based on the data obtained from the UAV, a high-precision 3D model of the structure can be built.

When solving such complex problems, we cannot always rely on human vision, while facing enormous human risk. KazUAV offers a solution to this problem by conducting visual inspection of confined spaces and hazardous industrial facilities using unmanned aerial vehicles, which can significantly reduce the risk to humans without losing any important information for analysis.

22.05.2020