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PHOTO COURTESY OF AIR LLOYD
offer patrols with both visual and sensor inspection capabilities. Additionally, they provide preliminary route studies, route low altitude waiver coordination, and near-real-time custom reports per customer specifications. In some cases, they will provide quickreaction assistance during emergencies and natural disasters.
Even though the UAV manufacturing sector is currently exploding with many makes and models of platform, here is a small sample of some of the types of UAVs that pipeline inspectors and monitors are operating: •
DJI, Inspire II (Medium Lift)
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VulcanUAV, Raven (Heavy Lift)
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Freefly, Alta 8 (Heavy Lift)
As an example, here is a small sample of the many types of businesses that provide such aerial Pipeline Patrol services:
Systems & Equipment Relating to the kit Pipeline Patrols utilise, this sector relies on unique, leading-edge, and sophisticated systems like other Aerial Work sectors. Methods of detection include visual, infrared, and laser technology after pipeline construction, and leak detection during service.
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Barr Air Patrol LLC – USA
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ROAVR – UK
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Quikway Air Services Inc – Canada
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Falcon Helicopters, Inc. – USA
Outside of using a ‘Mark One Eyeball’, some of the primary types of systems and monitoring methods you’ll see utilised by Pipeline Patrol crews (to include the unmanned sector) are:
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Pergam-Italy – EU
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and many more…
Laser Aerial Leak Detectors – Laser Aerial Leak Detectors are sensors mounted onboard an aircraft capable of detecting parts-per-million levels of methane gas at ground level. GIS Videography – GIS Videography is the technical process of taking videos in Ultra-HD with georeferenced overlays, including GIS centerline data as well as a host of other references. Additionally, GIS Videography can provide augmented reality to aid in specialised pipeline projects. Aerial Imagery – Aerial Imagery or Aerial Photography uses specialised digital cameras to analyse the status of a pipeline grid. Aerial imagery methods consist of oblique photographs, photogrammetry, and orthophotos. Light Detection and Ranging (LiDAR) – Airborne Lidar systems can capture high-resolution long linear ground
features such as pipelines and identify any safety issues using 3D data. Infrared (IR) Inspections – Infrared (IR) thermography measures temperature variances of a component as heat (i.e., thermal radiation) flows through or from a pipeline. The bottom line is that besides the aircraft, Aerial Patrol technology and tools are critical in supporting pipeline operators regarding ROW certification, project planning, maintenance, required structure counts, and more.
The Patrollers When it comes to who provides such critical aerial Pipeline Patrol services, the market generally consists of small regionalised manned and unmanned aircraft businesses with minimal staff and fleet size. The general service model of these firms is that they
Turning the Tap Off As you can see, keeping the energy flowing safely from a vast drilling rig to your home requires regular and routine technical monitoring. To meet this challenge, the aerial Pipeline Patrol sector is the perfect Aerial Work provider to support the pipeline transportation industry sector, especially in inspecting and monitoring long stretches of hazardous, high-volume pipelines. With ever more pipelines being laid and current pipelines facing the natural process of wear and tear, the demand for aerial Pipeline Patrols will not diminish. Also, with the introduction of UAV technology, the new capabilities and services the aerial Pipeline Patrol community can provide will expand exponentially. With that, you can expect aerial Pipeline Patrol service providers and their dedicated crews will continue to ‘Fly the Line’ for many years to come to keep our neighbourhoods safe and warm in the winter months! ■
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