What is a Drone inspection?
A drone inspection is the process of using drones to gather visual data about landscapes, buildings, structures or assets. These inspections are carried out using drones. Throughout the inspection process, a drone inspection company will gather a range of data on the area of the object being scanned.
The goal of a drone inspection is to assess if industrial assets meet quality standards, or require routine maintenance. Traditionally, these kinds of inspections will have been carried out manually, by a member of staff. Using just their naked eye, results would often be limited.
At Helidragon, we use a range of techniques such as aerial imaging, thermal scanning, and LiDAR, drones capture high-resolution imagery and detailed information from a safe distance. This prevents putting your staff at risk and cuts down on manpower needed to carry out an inspection.
Why consider a Drone inspection?
By using drones, we can carry out visual asset inspections much faster than ever before. A traditional visual inspection can be quite timely. Inspectors would need to access hard to reach places using elevated platforms, scaffolding and rope access.
This would involve set up time, waiting for equipment to be sourced, and dismantling time. We can deploy drones in any areas that pose risks to health and safety. Such as confined spaces, or at great height.
Our drones will stream data to an inspector on the ground. Reducing the time and cost spent on an inspection.
UAV (drones) are the most efficient and practical way to access and inspect critical onshore and offshore infrastructure. Regardless of industry, from roof inspections to ports and offshore oil and gas installations.
Transforming Aerial Data into Valuable Insights
Our strategy at Heligraon is built around rigorous planning and customisation. We are aware that every project is different, and we customise our drone inspection services to properly meet your demands. No matter if it’s determining the soundness of an infrastructure or keeping track of crop health, our team strategically adjusts to make sure the data gathered satisfies your particular requirements.
Using High-Tech Drones to Collect Data
As a leading Drone Inspection company, we’re able to collect comprehensive aerial data thanks to the advanced sensors on our fleet of drones. These cutting-edge UAVs allow us to gather data from previously inaccessible vantage points. You will obtain an unrivalled perspective thanks to our unwavering dedication to fully utilising technology.
Deriving Insights with Precision through Data Analysis
Once the data is acquired, the magic of insight begins. Our expert analysts employ sophisticated techniques, including photogrammetry and thermal imaging, to unearth valuable information from the collected data. These methods, akin to unlocking hidden stories, allow us to assess structural integrity, detect anomalies, and provide insights that might otherwise remain unnoticed.
Simplified Reporting for Better Decision Making
Complex data serves its purpose only when it’s understandable. That’s why our reporting isn’t just detailed; it’s designed to be comprehensible. We distil the technical intricacies into clear, easy-to-digest inspection reports. These reports provide you with a comprehensive understanding of the findings, empowering you to make informed decisions without getting lost in jargon.
Drone Inspections Across Any Sectors
We have over 25 years experience working in the heavy engineering and industrial industry. In our time we’ve worked with chemical plants, offshore plants, mining facilities, ports, construction projects and heavy engineering.
Over the pat 10 years we’ve specialised in using drone technology. Here are some of the best use cases we’ve found for drone inspections throughout the UK.
Asset Inspections: Precision Data at Your Fingertips
Drones redefine how we manage assets with pinpoint accuracy. They fly to capture detailed visuals, offering real-time insights into the health of structures. These insights empower decision-makers to plan maintenance and operations with confidence.
Infrastructure Assessment: Aerial Intelligence at Work
Think of drones as modern X-ray machines for structures. They provide high-altitude imagery that reveals hidden details. This aerial intelligence helps us understand infrastructure health and guides maintenance decisions more precisely.
Energy Sector: Streamlining Inspections
In the energy sector, drones mean efficiency. They inspect power lines and solar farms, quickly and thoroughly. With sensors and imaging tools, drones detect issues, making risk mitigation more efficient and reducing downtimes.
Construction Monitoring: Tracking Progress in Real Time
Drones revolutionise construction oversight by offering real-time monitoring. They capture images as projects evolve, creating a visual timeline. This insight helps keep track of progress, improving decision-making and project management.
Precision Agriculture: Elevating Farming Practices
For agriculture, drones are data-driven game changers. They provide aerial views that show plant health in detail. This data guides decisions about watering, fertilising, and managing crops more effectively.
Environmental Surveys: Understanding Ecological Systems
Drones explore our environment from above, like modern-day explorers. Through geospatial analysis, they reveal complex ecological patterns. From forests to rivers, drones help gather data for informed conservation and sustainable management.
Diversity
These diverse applications highlight the transformative potential of drone technology. Beyond their flying capabilities, drones serve as powerful tools for data-driven decisions, enhancing efficiency, accuracy, and environmentally responsible practices across industries.
Benefits of Drone Inspection Services
Lower Costs
Inspections using drones are more cost-effective than traditional methods such as surveying land via helicopter or using engineers on the ground. Since the majority of drone inspections are completed without the need for further action, this minimises the use of expensive equipment such as erecting expensive scaffolding, meaning drone inspections can save tens of thousands of pounds on a single project.
Also, since drone inspections are much faster than other methods the costs of downtime to critical infrastructure are much lower thereby further reducing overall project costs.
Safety
Traditional inspection methods involves having engineers putting themselves at risk. They have to climbs hundreds of feet of scaffolding, or viewing platforms. The risk of falling is very real. And in the event of an accident – it could be fatal.
Using drones reduces this risk by eliminating the need to put people in these positions. Drones allow us to access and check the integrity of any structure remotely. If repairs or manual maintenance is needed, inspection engineers can then plan the job accordingly. Putting the correct health and safety measure into place.
Better Documentation
Regular drone footage can be used to show how a building, like a wind turbine or power stack, evolves over time. If rust is a problem that could get worse over time but doesn’t require immediate repair, it is possible to compare historical data to present data to see if the problem has gotten worse over time. In the event of an accident or problem with a previously inspected infrastructure, this can potentially reduce culpability.
Efficiency
Drone inspections help to improve the speed at which jobs and projects can be completed. They eliminate human delays due to safety concerns or hazardous weather conditions. They can ascend heights faster than a person can climb. They can reach obstructed areas much more efficiently than a human can. In addition to exposing issues before they create hazards or delays, drone inspections simplify the compliance documentation and reporting aspects of a project.
Why Helidragon
Helidragon drone operators are permitted or commercial operations by the Cilvil Air Authority (CAA) and have over 10 years drone flying experience. Our specials asset inspecting drone operators also have a back ground in off shore engineering.
Being listed as CAA Pilots ensures we are fully licensed, trained and have all appropriate insurances in place giving you complete peace of mind.
We provide a wide range of drone inspection services. As a leading UK drone inspection company, we use our fleet of UAV’s, and our experience to cover:
- Aerial data collection
- Photogrammetry
- LiDAR scanning
- Thermal imaging
- Precision agriculture
- Structural integrity
- Risk assessment
- Geospatial analysis
- Data analytics
- High-resolution imagery
- Real-time monitoring
- Inspection reports
- Safety compliance
- Defect detection
- Maintenance optimisation
Our Drone Fleet
Along with our experience and expertise, equipment is key to our success, we operate a range of state of the art industrial drones with different camera combinations suited to each asset inspection application. Our UAV pilots have years of industry experience across extensive market sectors meaning that on the day our team will get the job done efficiently and professionally.
We will carry out a thorough scoping exercise and provide a full method of work/dynamic risk assessment of the asset or subject to be inspected. Our team will take the time to complete a comprehensive planning process to ensure the job is executed efficiently on the day. Guaranteeing you are getting value for money at all times.
Sectors We Serve
This flexible approach lends itself to an endless list of asset inspections and building surveys such as;
- Roof Damage/Guttering Inspections
- Chimney Inspections – Domestic & Commercial
- Building Site Surveys
- Wind Turbines
- Pipelines
- Infrastructure Inspections – Rail Tracks/Utilities
- Communication Towers & Pylons
Current Clients
- Applebridge
- ZTL
- Saipem
- Multifuel Energy
- KD Pharma
- Lianhetech
- Port of Blyth
- Hartlepool Council
Drone Inspections UK Wide
We’re based in Stockton-onTees, in the North East of England. But our drone inspection services cover the entire UK. With easy access to Teesside and Newcastle airports our team can travel anywhere in the UK – quickly.
Across the UK and Europe, any individual carrying out a visual inspection must be professionally trained. This training includes academic qualifications as well as relevant experience, hazard identification, emergency procedures, information technology, and fire protection and prevention.
Needless to say to that end we are a CAA licensed operator listed on the Drone Safe Register. The Drone Register guarantee the integrity and level of compliance that you should be looking for in your chosen drone pilot partner. Helidragon hold all the correct accreditations, qualifications and have the experience to give you complete peace of mind.
Drone Inspection Frequently Asked Questions
Yes, drones can perform thermal inspections. It is becoming increasingly popular in the industry for drones fitted with thermal imaging cameras to carry out energy inspections
Many high-end, modern drones are fitted with thermal imaging technology. This allows us to finds issues across various landscapes, structures and objects such as wind turbines, power lines, solar farms, bridges and roofs.
Thermal imaging drones can uncover hidden problems that the naked eye, or regular drone cameras cannot detect by comparing temperatures over large areas. This thermal technology lets drone operators see the invisible heat radiation that is emitted or reflected by all objects, regardless of lighting conditions.
Unusual temperatures will indicate problems and issues that may need to be explored in more detail by engineers. For example, an aerial inspection using a drone equipped with thermal imaging sensors can identify areas of unexpected heat loss due to air leaks or water damage.
The length of a drone inspection depends upon factors such as the size of the area or object being scanned. The complexity of navigating the area, and your requirements.
A drone inspection isn’t an off the shelf product. So we don’t give off the shelf prices. Contact us so we can discuss your needs in detail.
Drone inspections are generally considered far more accurate than a manual inspection. There is some debate and doubt as to exactly how thorough a drone can inspect a roof. However, with drone technology being so advanced, and with so many techniques available, the results are more accurate than a manual inspection.
There are many reasons that drones are used for visual inspections. The key reasons are: increased safety by reducing the risks inspectors faced. Faster completion times, due to drones being able to ascend faster than inspectors can climb. The ability to capture imagery from obstructed areas provides more detailed data.
Drone inspections are typically affected by weather conditions such as strong winds, heavy rain, or low visibility. However, advances in drone technology have enabled some models to operate in limited adverse conditions, but safety considerations always come first.
Getting started is easy! Contact our team to discuss your project’s requirements. We’ll assess the scope, provide a tailored solution, and guide you through the process, from planning to data collection and analysis.
Our Other Drone Services
We offer a wide range of drone services throughout the UK including:
For a free consultation to discuss your specific needs with one of our experienced pilots, why not contact us today 01642 989 970 or email.
Get In Touch
Speak to one of our drone experts today, give us a call on 01642 989 970 or email us by clicking the button below.
