Marine Maintenance Technology International - April 2016

UAV INSPECTIONS (^) ⠿
MARINE MAINTENANCE TECHNOLOGY INTERNATIONAL | APRIL 2016 ⠿ 15
considering using external UAV specialists
to provide and operate flying equipment
while the on-site surveyor provides
directions on how to position the drone to
give the best view of the area of interest.
“We see it as a tool to reach difficult
areas,” Lee says. “It is not limited to any type
of ships or offshore assets. However, for
certain types of vessels under the Enhanced
Survey Program, there are additional
prescriptive regulatory requirements. We
are working on developing the procedures
and also the possibilities and capabilities.
“There are issues and challenges to
overcome. The development of electrically
safe drones, for example, might be two to
four years away, so our current procedures
have to take that into account. When flying
external inspections, permission might be
needed from the local aviation authorities.
There are environmental (e.g., temperature
and wind speed) limits for drones, and
GPS doesn’t work inside a steel hull.
Communication with the drone can also be
an issue in that environment. We also have to
take into account the size of the drone, how
long it can operate for, and the payload it can
carry. It requires a judgment to balance all
those factors.”
James Bond, director of shared
technology for ABS, adds: “Drones are not
limited to a camera. Infrared and sonar
sensors are also possible and available,
possibly along with sensors for thickness
measurement and cracks detection in the
near future. A 3D model could be built
up based on the image data collected by
multiple onboard cameras. That is probably
two to three years away, but the technology
is definitely coming.
“We also have to consider what happens
if the signal between the operator and
the drone is lost – would the drone be
programmed to hover until communications
are re-established, to return to base, or just
to land in the nearest spot? ”
Jeanne DeLoach, manager of ABS
Programs, says that the practice procedure
is very close to being rolled out, possibly
as soon as late spring this year. Survey
requirements would not be affected at
this point, meaning class surveyors will
still need to visually inspect vessels, but
as additional experience is accumulated,
amendments to the class inspection rules
may follow.
FPSO examination
Scottish-based Cyberhawk Innovations has
completed its first ever ROAV inspection
of a cargo oil tank on an operational FPSO,
and is launching an inspection service
for the global oil and gas and shipping
industry. The development has brought
I
nformal use of drones is not unknown.
Jan Andersen, one of Norden’s three
US-based port captains, started using a
drone fitted with a small video camera to
examine cargo holds last year, more than
halving inspection time and identifying
remnants of previous cargos to be
removed before loading.
It takes the drone 20 seconds to access
any part of the cargo hold, while rigging
a ladder or a hoist takes a long time.
Andersen says: “I have used the drone
particularly for examining cargo holds
before loading grain in Canada. In such
cases it is quite normal for the customers’
inspectors, who must also check the
actual cleanliness of the hold, to arrive
with long ladders and climbing equipment.
It takes time and can be dangerous. The
inspectors are enthusiastic about my drone
and its tour of the cargo holds, because
afterward they can see the hold surfaces
in close detail on their phone or computer.
So although a few inspectors were initially
skeptical about my drone – some even
laughed – they now realize that a drone
with a video camera is an effective way of
examining a hold on a dry cargo ship.”
Apparently the only objection Andersen
has met is from birds, which have been
known to harass the flying camera.
CLEAN HOLDS
The first steps toward an
automated survey process
might include using a drone
to make the initial survey
Dr Pierre C Sames, DNV GL’s director of group
technology and research