Posted by 
Christine Gunsaullus on Tuesday, May 16, 2017
Drones - You’re seeing them everywhere and you probably know someone who has one. Maybe it’s you! I’m sure you are thinking of all the ways a drone can make your jobs easier, safer, and cheaper, providing a unique aerial perspective while you’re safe and sound on the ground.
I think most water storage tank owners are at least considering using drones for tank inspections – it seems like a no-brainer, right? Well sort of… while the technology is powerful, it provides limited data when compared to a physical inspection, so ideally, drone inspections are a piece of your tank inspection program, but not the only piece. Now that we’ve been through a number of inspections with our drone, here’s what we’ve learned.
Best Uses:
- Photos and videos of tank and site
- Document condition of tank and exterior coatings above grade
- Check for open roof hatches & cathodic protection ports
- Visual inspection of ladder and safety accessories prior to use
Limitations:
- Condition of half the tank (the interior) is unknown
- Don’t have the expertise of a trained tank and coatings inspector who knows what they’re looking at and for (unless remote pilot is also one)
- Unable to obtain interior coating samples for heavy metals testing
- Unable to check functionality or condition of roof vent screen
- No dimensions or measurements of accessories, or steel thickness readings
- Cannot get thickness readings or adhesion strength of coatings on roof or upper shell
Any inspection is better than none, and since drone inspections are a fraction of the cost (10-25%) of a traditional inspection, plus the other benefits, drone tank inspections can be a helpful part of your tank inspection program, but, it doesn’t replace the comprehensive tank evaluation recommended every 3-5 years.
Authored by: Christine Gunsaullus
storage tank queen
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Get caught up on traditional tank inspections by reading my previous blog (July 2016) on When to Inspect Water Tanks
Want to know more about how we’re using our drone?
- Here’s some other things we’ve been up to with it:
- Right-of-Way inspection
- Roof inspections for buildings with limited access
- Spying on people (just kidding!)
- Pre and post construction client and board videos
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Categories: Municipal Infrastructure
Tagged: Potable Water | Municipal Engineering