Send in the drones: solving inspection and repair challenges at sea

Send in the drones: solving inspection and repair challenges at sea
18 Sept 2018

Drones are already solving some of shipping’s greatest inspection challenges at sea. The onset of automation, hybrid systems that combine aerial flight with subsea diving, and on-board 3D printing capabilities could take the technology even further, as Joe Baker finds out

The use of drones

and unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) is currently a hot topic for the maritime industry. As technology has evolved, the extent of applications for drones has expanded into numerous fields, including pollution monitoring, search-and-rescue operations, and even the detection of illicit activity such as illegal fishing.

Nevertheless, some of the most tangible benefits have come from drones used to optimise vessel inspection and survey operations. On some vessels, human surveyors have been replaced by hovering UAVs decked out with recording equipment, making it easier and quicker to identify corrosion, deformation, and damage to on-board structures.

Several classification societies, including Lloyd’s Register and DNV GL, have tested UAVs as remote inspection devices and have started to introduce them to their survey methodologies for bulk carriers and container ships. But how might the expectations of drones used for surveys and inspections ramp up in the future?

more... http://ship.h5mag.com/ship_sep18/send_in_the_drones_solving_inspection_a...