Drone Inspections

Swiss drone maker Voliro has launched the latest upgrade to its inspection drone lineup with the Voliro T Version 5, designed to deliver safer, more efficient, and highly flexible aerial inspections. After five years of close collaboration with experts in Non-Destructive Testing (NDT) and extensive product development, Voliro has packed the T Version 5 with enhancements in both hardware and software to tackle the toughest industrial inspection demands.

Drone inspection and surveying services company Cyberhawk has announced a major upgrade to its iHawk platform with the introduction of Visualive, a new AI-powered tool designed to transform asset inspections. This software integrates artificial intelligence to instantly analyze drone-captured data, streamlining the inspection process for industries like utilities, oil and gas, and large construction projects.

Drone inspection specialist Cyberhawk has introduced AVIATE, a new service aimed at helping organizations kickstart or expand their drone programs. AVIATE stands for Accelerated Visual Integration and Technology Enabler and brings together Cyberhawk’s decade-long expertise in drone inspections to support companies in adopting drone technology.

The New York Power Authority (NYPA) has secured an exciting new waiver from the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA). It gives NYPA operators the unprecedented ability to conduct fully remote drone inspections without requiring a pilot or observer to maintain visual contact with the aircraft. Additionally, the waiver permits these operations without the use of traditional airspace monitoring systems, such as radar.

Cyberhawk, a drone inspection and surveying services company, has announced a remarkable 55% revenue growth for the fiscal year 2024. The company’s total revenue soared to $28.7 million, driven by strong performances in key regions such as the United Kingdom, the United States, and the Middle East.

Tank terminal operators in Germany are quickly pivoting to drones for cost-effective and reliable tank roof inspections. AI-driven autonomous inspection solutions are helping operators to perform inspection flights remotely, without the need for onsite pilots.

Telecom giant Vodafone is making the process of ordering drone inspections as simple as ordering groceries online — but only in Germany.

Switzerland’s Flyability has released a new software extension for Elios 3, a drone developed especially for indoor and confined-space inspections. The Asset Management extension simplifies Elios 3’s processing and reporting workflows by merging data from subsequent flights into a single digital twin of the asset — with no additional post-processing.

Confined spaces and indoor drone specialist Flyability has released a new ultrasonic thickness (UT) measurement probe for the Elios 3. The payload has been developed in partnership with ultrasonic tech specialist Cygnus Instruments, so certified UT inspectors can take accurate thickness measurements under ISO 16809 compliance and back them up with high-resolution A-scans in the most challenging areas.

UK companies Skyports Drone Services and environmental protection maintenance specialist Ground Control are pairing up to help railroad infrastructure owner Network Rail in spotting and organizing its track clearing activities with greater attention to ecological protection.

TotalEnergies is bringing its drone-based methane detection technology AUSEA (Airborne Ultralight Spectrometer for Environmental Applications) to India. The French energy giant is partnering with India’s Oil and Natural Gas Corporation (ONGC) to help the latter reduce its methane emissions.

The largely productive year for the drone sector is drawing to a close with the less fortunate news that trailblazing North Carolina startup PrecisionHawk has filed for bankruptcy, and is shuttering the business.

As predicted when policies and budgets were passed to mend long neglected infrastructure across the US, the deployment of drones for inspection and restoration of public assets has increased dramatically. Yet another example of that is the work the Massachusetts Department of Transportation (MassDOT) will do in surveying its aging rail system using a newly-issued Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) waiver for beyond visual line of sight (BVLOS) operation. 

How bad is the reputation of California utility Pacific Gas and Electric (PG&E)? Poor enough that it’s conspicuously displaying the sight and sounds of its drone flights to endear itself to the public (that’s a joke, kind of – read on). 

UK-based Skyports Drone Services is pursuing its international business growth and geographical expansion through a new partnership with Norway’s Field, offering specialized, cutting-edge aerial infrastructure inspection and monitoring activities.

Surging automated drone tech company Percepto has added another Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) achievement to its growing list, which in this case allows the company to remotely operate up to 30 of its UAVs using only one pilot.

Emirates, one of the two flag carrier airlines of the United Arab Emirates, has signed an agreement with Boeing that will integrate drones into its plane inspections – an aerial technique designed to both speed the process and enhance its effectiveness compared to manual checks.

Diversified drone hardware and services company Volatus Aerospace is expanding on what had already been a steady stream of new business contracts in its domestic Canadian market with a deal in the US worth up to $60 million providing aerial infrastructure inspections for a major utility firm.

The North Carolina Department of Transport (NCDOT) has earned its second Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) waiver to operate routine drone inspection missions in beyond visual line of sight (BVLOS) mode, and will use that with craft from docked stations it plans to deploy near construction sites around the state.

Birdstop, a California-based company that operates a drone network across the US akin to a constellation of satellites on the ground, has scooped up $2.3 million in new funding. The startup says it will use the funds to buy more drones that can inspect critical infrastructure and grow its AI capabilities.

The New York Power Authority (NYPA) ­has announced the financial approval of its five-year, 37.2 million drone program that will build on the utility’s accumulating experience in deploying UAVs for inspection, safety, and other continuing operational activities.