(With link to video) DNV GL has recently completed several tests using drones to support the hull survey of two vessels.
Conducted by the classification team based in Gdansk, Poland, the tests took place at the Remontova shipyard. Using drones to visually check the condition of remote structural components has the potential to significantly reduce survey times and staging costs, while at the same time improving safety for the surveyors.
Camera-equipped Drone
The tests used a camera-equipped drone to visually evaluate structural components through video streamed to a tablet. One surveyor operated the drone, while a second checked the video feed in real time. The stream was also recorded for review and documentation purposes. Equipped with a powerful headlight, the drone was able to produce a video of sufficient quality for initial inspection purposes. In the event any damage is detected, a traditional close-up survey may still be required.
'We used a modified off-the-shelf drone for our tests,' explains Cezary Galinski, Manager of the DNV GL – Maritime classification flying squad based in Gdansk. 'Because there are currently no drones formally certified as explosion-proof commercially available, we performed a risk assessment. Of course, before the drone operation started, we also ensured that the cargo tank was gas-free and certified for safe entry.'
'Our next step is to work with a more advanced tailor-made drone in early 2016,' says Galinski. 'We are also developing a special guideline for performing drone-based surveys. This could open the way to remote or even autonomous inspections being carried out as part of our survey scheme in the near future.'
DNV GL surveyors have trialed a drone during an inspection. To see some highlights from their video, click here.
Picture: DNV GL surveyors tested a camera-equipped drone to visually evaluate structural components through video streamed to a tablet. One surveyor operated the drone, while a second checked the video feed in real time.
