We look where
nobody has to go in.
Drone inspection of ship tanks and confined spaces. No scaffolding, no human entry, with a 3D map and a report of every defect.
A narrow hatch.
Darkness. Steel. No GPS.
A 320 × 190 mm cross-section.
Fits openings from 500 × 400 mm, vertical 400 × 500 too.
We are inside.
And nobody had to enter the tank.
Services
What we inspect.
From ballast tanks to silos. Anywhere human entry means a permit, a standby person and often scaffolding.
Ballast and cargo tanks
Side and peak tanks, liquid mud, brine, water and fuel tanks (gas-free).
Double bottoms and cofferdams
Tight compartments between floors. Flying through lightening holes.
Holds and tall spaces
Frames, welds and coatings where scaffolding would normally go up.
Storage tanks and silos
Tank interiors, roof undersides and floors, emptied and cleaned.
Boilers, chimneys and chambers
Visual inspection after cooling and cleaning, with no work at height.
Ducts, culverts and tunnels
Long, dark spaces without GPS, with every defect precisely located.
3D scan and point cloud
Interior geometry measured with lidar: a point cloud for CAD and work planning.
Pre-repair assessment
A located, photographed defect list for the yard or contractor before work starts.
How it works
One inspection. Four steps.
In through the hatch
The drone enters disarmed, lowered through the hatch. We take off only when nobody is touching it.
Systematic survey
Flight in strips along every surface: walls, bottom, deckhead and both sides of frames. 4K video with its own lighting.
Close-ups and markers
Suspect areas from 1 m, hovering, with raking light. Every defect gets a marker and a position in the map.
Coverage map and report
The 3D map shows what was inspected and what was not. The report locates every defect: frame, wall, height.
Deliverables
Evidence, not impressions.
Everything the owner, the surveyor and the yard need, in one package.
3D map of the tank
A lidar point cloud. Every photo and every defect has its place in space.
Defect report
Type, location, size and photo.
4K video
Full footage of every surface, ready to review.
Millimetre scale
About 0.45 mm per pixel from 1 m. Defect size on the photo.
Coverage map
Green: close-up. Yellow: overview. Red: to revisit.
Tamper-evident data
Raw footage with SHA-256 checksums and a log of recording gaps.
Comparison
Not the usual way.
Technology
Built for tight spaces.
Our own HSR-15-I drone, designed for steel tanks.
Who it is for
For those responsible for the steel.
FAQ
Questions and answers.
Does anyone have to enter the tank?
No. The drone is passed through the hatch and takes off when nobody is touching it. The operator and a standby person work at the hatch under the vessel or site procedure.
Can the drone fly in an explosive atmosphere?
No. We fly only in gas-free, ventilated spaces after O₂, LEL and H₂S testing. The drone is not ATEX certified.
How big must the hatch be?
At least 500 × 400 mm (oval) or approx. 450 mm (round). We also fly through vertical 400 × 500 mm openings in floors.
Does it replace a class survey?
No. Footage and the report can support a survey; their use is agreed in advance with the classification society.
Do you measure plate thickness?
No. This is a visual inspection with a 3D map. Thickness measurement (UT) is done separately, e.g. at points flagged in our report.
How long does it take?
About 40 minutes of flight for a typical tank, in several flights with battery swaps at the hatch, plus on-site preparation.
Can the vessel be under way?
Preferably in port, at anchor or on DP in calm sea. We navigate relative to the tank, not by GPS.
Where do you work?
Across Europe: ports, shipyards and industrial sites.
Let’s plan your inspection.
Tell us what to inspect. We will prepare a plan and a quote.