(With video) DNV GL surveyors have carried out the classification society’s first offshore drone survey on the semisubmersible vessel Safe Scandinavia in the North Sea.
This 25,383 GT tender support vessel (TSV) is owned and operated by Prosafe, supporting Statoil’s drilling operations off the coast of Norway.
Saving Time and Money
Using camera-equipped drones, DNV GL’s drone pilots checked the TSV’s fairleads and their connection with the vessel’s two columns as part of the intermediate survey. Because the drone survey only required the semi-submersible to de-ballast after which the drone was flown 25 m below the main deck to do its inspections, the operation only took a few hours saving a lot of time and money.
The classification society has carried out multiple drone surveys on both ships and offshore units, inspecting many areas on board, ranging from tanks and cargo holds to external structures such as jack-up legs. The inspection of such spaces can be both costly and time consuming, and even in some instances potentially dangerous. Using drones to visually check the condition of remote structural components can significantly reduce survey times and staging costs, while at the same time improving surveyor safety.
Trained Drone Pilots
DNV GL has built a network of trained drone pilots based in Gdynia, Piraeus, Singapore, Houston and Shanghai. This allows drone survey inspections to be offered from any of these hubs. At the same time, DNV GL is developing guidelines and updating its rule set to reflect the use of remote inspection techniques.
Picture: DNV GL has carried out its first offshore drone survey on board the tender support vessel Safe Scandinavia (by DNV GL).
