Storage Tank Inspection

Using the Elios 2, and more recently the Elios 3, we regularly undertake internal inspections of oil tanks at the storage facilities of major petroleum companies in Hong Kong.

These steel tanks are large, around 21m high and over 25m in diameter. One of the crucial parts of any storage tank inspection is to look at the inside of the roof of the tank, to check for cracks, corrosion and other defects.

Once the tank is emptied and cleaned ready for maintenance, we go in to fly the Elios drone inside up to the ceiling level, and conduct a systematic inspection of all the support beans, trusses, securing bolts, and columns.

Previously, the only way to inspect the inside roof of a tank like this was to erect scaffolding and manually inspect from the top of the scaffolding. Getting a crane or cherry picker inside the tank is not possible, because there is only 1 small manhole entrance.

This scaffolding inspection method would take weeks to complete, and was potentially dangerous, given the need to work at height.

With the Elios drones, Dronesurvey Asia has been able to cut the inspection time down to 1 day, and conduct the work safely without endangering any workers.