UK partners pilot drone plan

Advanced Industrial Solutions (AIS) has formed a strategic partnership with drone provider RectrixAS to bring a range of services to the offshore wind industry.

The UK companies said the services will include visual surveys, thermal inspections and risk assessments using an unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) or drone.

The UAV can be used for inaccessible places, such as offshore wind turbines, where it can be difficult, or costly, for engineers to safely reach, the companies said.

The use of drones will almost entirely rule out the need for expensive and risky scaffolding in the energy industry, said AIS.

The service will also be available to the oil and gas and construction industries, the partners said.

Advanced Industrial Solutions business and strategic development manager Mark Patterson said: “Some of the locations we work in can be hugely difficult to inspect and survey using conventional methods.

“The benefits of using drones for these operations are extensive.

“You can significantly cut costs on using scaffolding and it’s much quicker.”

Image: Advanced Industrial Solutions