The landscape of non-destructive testing (NDT) is rapidly evolving, propelled by technological innovations and driven by a quest for safety, efficiency, and cost-effectiveness. One such innovation that is transforming the NDT industry is the rise of ultrasonic drones, which are providing safer and more efficient ways to conduct inspections, particularly at heights.
Traditional methods of NDT inspections at heights often involve the use of scaffolding, manlifts, or ropes to access the surface of a structure. These methods, while effective, can be risky, time-consuming, and costly. As robotics continues to revolutionize the way we work, we find our solution soaring in the skies – ultrasonic drones.
Benefits of Drone Inspection for NDT Professionals
Unmanned aerial systems (UAS), or drones, offer NDT professionals a unique aerial perspective, enabling access to remote or inaccessible areas without compromising safety. By providing a swift, accurate means to perform inspections, drones can reduce operational costs and minimize safety risks. Equipped with high-resolution photography and video recording capabilities, drones can assist NDT experts in carrying out a wide variety of surveying and inspection services safely and sustainably.
A Novel Solution: Drone for Ultrasonic NDT Inspection
A prominent robotics team has designed a unique drone solution for safer, faster, and more cost-effective visual and UT inspections. This drone is an ultrasonic thickness gauge on a drone, designed for both visual and wall thickness inspection. The solution allows workers to remain on the ground while the drone performs inspections in hazardous locations.
Ultrasonic Drone Inspection: How Does It Work?
The ultrasonic drone comes integrated with an industry-standard ultrasonic thickness gauge using sound waves to measure wall thickness. The drone is equipped with a dual transducer that makes contact with surfaces for testing to measure metal thickness while ignoring paint coatings.
The workflow of this drone is divided into three main categories: site acquisition, flight path planning, and post-analysis. Prior to inspecting the structure, operators must ensure that the surroundings around the inspection area are clear for safe operation.
The drone consistently takes metal wall thickness readings over time, for example, every six months. This allows the detection of thinning in the metal wall of a pipe, pressure vessel, or storage tank. If the wall becomes too thin, it’s a clear indication that maintenance is needed.
The drone uses a force-sensing probe to apply the exact amount of force needed to take thickness readings and maintain surface contact for the duration of the scan. This drone design allows precise flight, force contact, wind resistance, and angled inspections.
Reducing Time and Risks
Using this drone technology to access difficult areas, NDT inspectors can evaluate structures and gather comprehensive data that would have taken several days using traditional access methods. For inspection points at heights or other challenging locations on capital-intensive assets such as offshore boats, ships, freight, oil and gas refineries, and wind turbines, drone technology can perform UT inspections significantly faster than traditional methods.
In fact, the system can allow two inspectors to complete a job in two days that would typically take two weeks, reducing time on-site by an impressive 80%.
The Future of Drone NDT Inspection
Drones are steadily being adopted to enhance manual tasks across various industries. The use of drones for NDT inspections opens a myriad of possibilities that merge the drone’s mobility with various testing methods. Drone inspections can deliver test data on oil and gas industry properties to identify defects, thus reducing the rate of failures and unplanned shutdowns.
The incorporation of drone technology in NDT inspections not only reduces turnaround time and inspection costs, but it also significantly enhances safety by reducing the need for workers to be exposed to the risks involved in working at heights.
As the capabilities and applications of drone technology continue to expand, the future of NDT will soar to new heights. By embracing these advancements, industries stand to reap the rewards of enhanced safety, greater efficiency, and substantial cost savings.
