Tank terminal operators in Germany are increasingly turning to drone technology for roof inspections to improve cost efficiency and reliability. Energy Robotics provides AI-driven drones for remote inspections, reducing manual labour and potential hazards. The use of drones for data collection and analysis is streamlining tank inspections and enhancing operational efficiency.
Tank terminal operators in Germany are increasingly adopting drone technology for tank roof inspections, a move aimed at enhancing cost efficiency and reliability. Traditionally, manual inspections require operators to climb 25-meter-high tanks, a task that is labor-intensive, time-consuming, and hazardous due to the potential for human error.
Energy Robotics, a company specializing in AI-driven inspection solutions, offers drones that can perform these inspections remotely. The drones, controlled remotely thanks to Beyond Visual Line of Sight (BVLOS) approvals in the EU, can complete in 30 minutes what would take manual inspectors eight hours. This approach reduces onsite labor, physical strain, and operational hazards.
By deploying drones that collect high-resolution color and thermal images, tank inspections become more efficient. These images are processed by AI to provide actionable insights, such as water presence on tank roofs or the condition of grounding cables. Drones can operate autonomously, departing from docking stations and uploading data to the cloud for processing.
Shell has already implemented this technology at its largest site in Germany, integrating a mixed fleet of drones and ground-based robots for comprehensive inspections. Thomas Klein, Shell’s digital innovation lead, highlighted the flexibility provided by the different robot models for various inspection tasks.
Marc Dassler, CEO of Energy Robotics, underscores the importance of regular monitoring for safety and operational efficiency in tank terminal operations. The AI-driven software facilitates the collection of high-quality data, which is crucial for effective asset maintenance. The company’s regulation-ready drone solutions, validated by multiple BVLOS approvals, are set to strengthen their relationship with German authorities and support future deployments.
