Why drone surveys offer a superior service over traditional methods of visual inspection
The many benefits of using aerial drone inspection over traditional visual inspection techniques including ‘at height’ manual inspection and ground based inspection are why this form of NDT and inspection has quickly become the go to method of inspection and survey used by business in Energy, Utilities, Infrastructure and Transportation sectors in the UK.
Modern Business and Modern Thinking.
Balmore Inspection Services is a modern and dynamic inspection company. Founded in 2015, we operate a small fleet of the latest in commercial drones fitted for all manner of inspection requirements. It allows us to offer our customers the very latest in what is possible with drones. But to understand the role that drone inspection can play in your business, you must first understand the core benefits that they offer over traditional inspection methods.
At Balmore, we provide drones for both aerial and underwater inspection services so we have both Unmanned Aerial Vehicles (UAV) and Remotely Operated Vehicles (ROV) that are used for underwater inspection and surveys. Drones have become a cost effective and powerful tool that has completely transformed the inspection industry.
But how do they compare to traditional inspection methods:
| # | Working At Height | Drone Inpspection | Ground Based Inspection |
|---|---|---|---|
| Risks | High Risk to human life | Safe | Safe |
| Detailing | Close Up Visual Inspection | HD Digital Inspection | Low Quality Inspection |
| Speed | Up to 6 hours | Up to 45 mins | Up to 6 hours |
| Team Size | 3 man safety team (minimum) | 1 drone pilot | 1 man inspection team |
Why is visual inspection with drones so important
Visual inspection of structures, powerlines, buildings, road and rail bridges and communication towers (for example) are a critical process to ensure that these structures, communication devices and transportation links are operating to as close to 100% efficiency as possible.
Regular visual inspection can spot these developing issues early and allow companies to plan repairs and servicing around optimum times to minimise disruption. Not to mention the cost savings of catching these things early. A simple weld repair on a storm damaged power line support is a lot cheaper than having to build a completely new power line support.
Find out more about the importance of visual inspection
Find out more
Drones are unmanned remotely controlled device that are changing the way that inspection and survey services are conducted – for the better! If you would like to know more about how drone inspection can be used to benefit your business, please get in touch. You can call our Glasgow head office to discuss your inspection requirements and schedule for a live demonstration with one of our drone pilots.
