Unmanned aerial systems (UAS) are the future. They’re where the maritime industry is heading and more and more companies are already beginning to embrace the opportunities they bring to improve safety, reduce costs, speed up processes and collect more accurate data. UAS have particularly huge potential when it comes to inspections, surveys and maintenance. As well as eliminating the need for staff to be sent into hazardous conditions, they cut down on time that would normally be spent assembling safety rigs and access equipment.
Martek is renowned for its forward-thinking approach so we were naturally one of the first companies to recognize this potential. We recently began supplying the world’s first collision-tolerant UAS, which is able to access even the tightest of confined spaces beyond the line of sight. It has a protective frame which enables it to be bumped and scraped without damage and it remotely captures high-resolution photos, thermal images and live video feed in real-time so that inspectors can work with data immediately.
Our first customer was Queensland Ship Surveyors Pty Ltd. Their CEO Director and Principle Surveyor immediately recognized the benefits: “I had been searching for a confined space inspection drone/robot for many, many years. As soon as Martek demonstrated the collision-tolerant UAS to me in Sydney, I placed my order. It’s simple to set up and after about 6 hours of flying time/practice, I was ready to conduct the first confined space inspection. Our survey/inspection company now utilizes the world’s first purpose-designed collision tolerant drone to inspect confined spaces at every opportunity.”
It’s already had a big impact on how his business operates: “It’s made our confined space inspections safe with zero risk of injury or casualty to any person. Post-flight/mission we can go back in the confined space without going back in because the high-quality data collected allows us to review the results of the inspection over and over. After demonstrating the Collision-tolerant UAS to our clients, they showed great interest and enthusiasm and they can’t wait to have us carry out their next confined space survey/inspection.”