Drones and Robots Proving Value in Energy Applications
/Drones and robots continue to change the way we produce and consume energy. As they become more sophisticated and widespread, their impact on the industry is only going to increase. There are proven use cases, and scaling is in the works.
Drones, previously brand new to energy and stuck in proof of concept (PoC) phase, are now routine, especially for these areas:
Methane and other emissions detection
Asset inspections, from flare stacks to pipelines and everything in between
Access to small, confined spaces like mines and inside equipment
Oil spill detection
Wind turbine inspection
Utility line inspection and mapping
Subsea inspection and repair
And many more
Many of the drones in use today are still manned, with operators steering and maneuvering in real time. Many others—and in growing numbers—are going uncrewed. Advances in automation, self-propelling, and connectivity are allowing autonomous robotics in more remote areas, doing more advanced tasks.
The automated tasks often branch off from proven operator-run tasks. Companies use piloted drones to prove effectiveness and build operating procedures and checks and balances, and then can automate from there.
Automation is no longer relegated to large manufacturing facilities. Unmanned drones and robots are now all around this planet helping energy companies increase efficiency and reduce emissions.
Drones are a technology the industry has bot into.