The world beneath the surface is one of complexity and challenge, yet it plays a vital role in infrastructure, energy, and utilities. At Balmore Group, we’ve long specialised in hard-to-reach places. From aerial surveys to confined space inspections, we’re now leading the charge in underwater drone inspection, a field rapidly transforming how industries assess submerged structures.
By leveraging the capabilities of ROV (Remotely Operated Vehicle) technology, we’re offering faster, safer, and more cost-effective inspection methods that eliminate the need for divers in risky or inaccessible areas.
What Is Underwater ROV Inspection?
Underwater ROV inspection refers to the use of submersible drones equipped with cameras, sensors, and sometimes robotic arms to assess the condition of underwater structures and environments. These drones can operate at depths and in conditions where human divers face significant risk, making them an invaluable tool across sectors.
The technology is analogous to aerial drones, but adapted for the underwater environment, providing high-definition video, real-time data feeds, sonar mapping, and 3D visualisation. At Balmore Group, our Falcon ROV is tailored with modular capabilities that allow us to attach bespoke tools and sensors depending on your inspection needs.
How Does an Underwater ROV Inspection Work?
A typical underwater drone inspection begins with planning and site assessment. We consider environmental factors like water visibility, current strength, and depth. Once deployed, the ROV is piloted from the surface, transmitting live video and sensor data to a control station.
Our Falcon ROV, with its open-frame design, accommodates a range of tools, from sonar imaging systems to high-intensity lights and photogrammetry sensors. This flexibility allows us to collect not just visuals but detailed metrics like structural stress points, corrosion levels, and dimensional changes.
Underwater drones quickly survey complex areas with precision, eliminating the need for traditional diving.
Underwater ROV Applications Across Industries:
At Balmore Group, we take pride in delivering tailored, comprehensive underwater drone inspection services that meet the challenges of a wide array of industries. Below, we expand on the specialised services we provide using our advanced ROV technology:
Hydro Dam & Tunnel Surveys:
Hydroelectric dams and water tunnels are critical infrastructure assets, but their remote and submerged locations make regular inspections difficult. Our ROV inspections safely scan underwater structures without draining water or disrupting operations, detecting defects, seepage, sediment build-up, and assessing integrity, no divers.
3D Photogrammetry Surveys:
Using high-resolution imagery and sophisticated software, we transform standard video capture into detailed 3D photogrammetry surveys. These models allow asset managers and engineers to visualise and measure underwater environments with millimetre accuracy. It’s ideal for creating digital twins, monitoring erosion, planning repairs, and documenting conditions over time for regulatory compliance and maintenance planning.
Outfall Pipeline Inspection:
Outfall pipelines play a key role in safely discharging treated wastewater into water bodies. Using underwater drones, we conduct visual and sonar-based inspections both externally and internally along the pipeline route. We check for cracks, blockages, joint failures, or marine intrusion, ensuring that the pipeline functions efficiently while meeting environmental standards.
Cooling Water Inlet Inspection:
Cooling inlets are essential for thermal regulation in power stations, chemical plants, and large-scale manufacturing facilities. Blockages from debris or marine growth can lead to overheating or system shutdowns. Our ROVs are deployed to inspect these inlets for obstructions, structural damage, or reduced flow, helping facilities maintain efficiency and avoid costly downtime.
Offshore Structural Inspection:
Offshore oil platforms, wind turbines, and marine research structures are constantly exposed to corrosive saltwater and strong currents. We provide comprehensive underwater drone inspections of structural elements, including support legs, cross braces, caissons, and mooring points. These inspections help detect corrosion, metal fatigue, or marine growth early, enabling proactive maintenance.
Anchor Chain & Riser Inspection:
In offshore environments, anchor chains and risers are vital components connecting floating structures to the seabed. Their condition directly affects platform stability and safety. Our ROVs can precisely monitor wear, elongation, corrosion, and fatigue, delivering accurate reports and imagery to guide maintenance and replacement schedules.
Electricity Supply Cable Inspection:
Subsea electricity cables are the backbone of offshore wind farms and interconnectors. Damage or displacement can lead to energy loss or environmental hazards. We use sonar mapping and high-definition cameras to trace cables across the seabed, assess their burial depth, detect scouring or exposure, and confirm cable positioning. This ensures continued performance and helps extend cable lifespan.
Coastal Wall Inspection (Aerial & Underwater):
Coastal defences face relentless pressure from tides, storms, and shifting seabeds. By combining aerial drones for above-water scans and underwater ROVS for submerged sections, we offer full-spectrum coastal wall inspections. This dual-approach identifies undermining, voids, cracks, and signs of erosion, crucial for councils, ports, and marine infrastructure planners.
Benefits of Underwater ROV Inspections:
Switching to underwater drone inspection is a smarter, safer, and more sustainable way to manage infrastructure. At Balmore Group, we’ve seen how ROVs improve operations in high-risk or hard-to-reach areas. Here are the key benefits that are driving the industry-wide shift toward ROV technology:
Safety First:
One of the most compelling advantages is the elimination of risk to human divers. Traditional underwater inspections often require teams to enter confined, deep, or hazardous spaces. This puts lives at risk, especially in environments with low visibility, strong currents, or contaminated water. Underwater drone inspections remove the need for manned diving in these scenarios, offering a safer alternative that complies with stringent health and safety regulations.
Cost-Efficiency:
Deploying a diver team involves significant costs: diving gear, support vessels, safety crews, insurance, and more. ROVs streamline this process. They require fewer personnel, reduce time on-site, and can be deployed rapidly. These efficiencies translate into lower operational costs, making ROV inspections not just a safer choice, but a more economical one too.
Speed and Efficiency:
In industries where time is money, underwater ROV inspections offer a major advantage. Drones mobilise quickly and operate continuously for hours, even in low-visibility or complex underwater environments. They transmit real-time video and data, allowing teams to identify and address issues immediately, drastically reducing downtime.
High Precision and Data Quality:
Thanks to cutting-edge cameras, sonar systems, and sensors, ROVs can collect incredibly detailed and accurate data. This includes measurements of corrosion depth, crack dimensions, material thickness, and environmental parameters like temperature and turbidity. Some ROVs, like our Falcon ROV, also support 3D photogrammetry, providing photorealistic models of submerged assets that can be analysed and tracked over time.
Versatility in Challenging Environments:
Unlike divers, ROVs are not limited by depth, temperature, current, or visibility. They can inspect inside narrow pipelines, underneath offshore platforms, or deep within hydro tunnels, places that would otherwise be unreachable or too dangerous for human inspection. This flexibility makes underwater drone inspection ideal for a wide variety of environments, from shallow coastal waters to deep-sea infrastructure.
Minimal Environmental Impact:
Human activity underwater can often disturb marine life or damage delicate ecosystems. ROVs are small, quiet, and non-intrusive, allowing inspections to be carried out with minimal environmental disruption. This is especially important for coastal and offshore operations where sustainability and environmental stewardship are increasingly under scrutiny.
The Future of Underwater Inspections is Here:
As infrastructure ages and regulatory scrutiny grows, the demand for accurate, efficient inspection solutions is only increasing. At Balmore Group, we’re proud to be at the forefront of this evolution, offering underwater drone inspection services that help industries work smarter, safer, and more sustainably.
Explore how our services can support your operations, whether you’re monitoring a hydroelectric plant, securing an offshore wind farm, or maintaining vital subsea infrastructure.
Get in touch with us today to schedule your underwater inspection or speak with one of our inspection experts.
