Drones are being used more and more to eliminate the need for workers to inspect structures in dangerous environments and carry out more frequent inspections. When devising solutions for Three Group Solutions’ customers, we’re able to draw knowledge and expertise from the companies operating within the wider CK Hutchison group. In this blog, we highlight examples of how our sister companies are using drones to inspect critical national infrastructure assets.
Northumbrian Water
Northumbrian Water is using drones to improve water quality monitoring in various environments, including rivers, lakes, estuaries and coastal areas. To understand how to mitigate the impact of more frequent extreme weather events, Northumbrian Water needs more real-time data on water quality and has identified use cases where drones can assist.
The tool used for measuring water quality within these environments is a sonde – a tube carrying a range of sensors that can detect different pollutants. Currently, sondes are incorporated into fixed automated stations that are positioned either next to a body of water or, in coastal environments, in floating buoys. Measuring water quality can involve people in boats either taking the measurements themselves or maintaining sondes located on buoys. These methods are labour-intensive and can be dangerous in rough conditions. Using drones equipped with sondes to replace or supplement these stations provides more flexibility and improved safety.
Field trials have identified limitations, particularly in highly populated or obstructed areas, in high winds and in sub-zero temperatures, where there is a risk of propellers freezing. Additional trials are ongoing to further refine the use of drones to enable expansion in remote piloting. On top of the wide range of safety benefits for workers and consumers, remote piloting can open up the field for a more diverse workforce.
Cenovus Energy
Further out to sea, the SeaRose FPSO vessel works 350km offshore from Newfoundland and Labrador, Canada, for oil-processing. This North Atlantic location creates some challenges when it come to preventive maintenance. The ship needs to be inspected from the hull under the sea to the flare tip, which is over 100 metres high. Today regular inspections are conducted by aerial drones. Pre-drone, a photographer would shoot tethered inside the partially open door of a helicopter, with a search and rescue technician on standby to ensure his or her safety.
Below sea level, staff would inspect the empty holding tanks that hold oil by physically entering the tanks. Now drones enclosed in cages to protect them from bumping into walls can make the trip to conduct inspections via a standard manhole. Drones can also conduct inspections on the exterior hull of the ship, as well as on the helideck, exhaust stacks, cargo tanks and ballast tanks, among other spaces.
The first offshore drone flights became possible in 2018, eliminating the need to put a dedicated flight in the air for inspections, and making it easier to conduct frequent inspections. As drone and camera technology develops, the detail it’s possible to get from inspections broadens. Cenovus engineers are currently working on adding methane detectors to the next-generation drones.
HK Electric
HK Electric has partnered with Three Hong Kong to use a 5G-enabled land drone, named the "Smart Inspector," for underground cable tunnel inspections.
This robot, equipped with various cameras and sensors, performs tasks autonomously, capturing detailed data on cable conditions and environmental factors. It stands about 1.5 metres tall and has four wheels; like Wall-E, but taller! It is loaded with cameras and sensors that take a very close-up look at various elements of the cables and other equipment in the confined tunnel. An infrared camera can see the heat signatures and detect overheating. A high-definition camera can take a closer look at elements flagged by the standard cameras. Sensors and gas detectors capture images and record gas concentrations, humidity and temperature within the tunnel. The robot can also be remotely operated on 5G, and even has preset working schedules to automate tasks.
This initiative reduces the need for human entry into confined spaces, which requires many people-hours of preparation and execution. HK Electric plans to expand this technology to other tunnels to further improve inspection quality and frequency.
Summary
Drones have proven hugely useful in making needed inspections safer, faster, more frequent and of higher quality. CK Hutchison companies are showing that from sea to sky to subterranean, drones are the way forward.
Three Group Solutions draws on experiences across the CK Hutchison group in providing end-to-end IoT solutions for customers. With expertise in industrial wireless connectivity, global IoT solutions and connectivity complimented by data and AI innovation from
CKDelta, our breadth and depth of capability is pretty unique.
Contact us to discuss your use cases or requirements.