At LA LÍNEA VERTICAL we have extensive experience in the inspection, maintenance and repair of large structures in areas that are difficult to access, and we are pioneers in the use of drones to carry out these tasks inside industrial and high-risk facilities.
One of the latest projects we have carried out in this regard has been the inspection with drones of the external structure of five chimneys in one of the most important energy parks in Spain, which involved a team of two pilots from LA LÍNEA VERTICAL.
The chimneys, which ranged in height from 30 to 60 metres, were located in the centre of the plant, with numerous obstacles around them, which made it necessary to operate with great precision. The high temperatures were an added difficulty, but thanks to the professionalism of our technicians, the work could be carried out satisfactorily.
To carry out the inspection, images were taken with the zoom lens of the main elements of the chimney structure to ensure greater safety of the operation and, if it was necessary to place greater emphasis on areas with evidence of defects, it was decided to bring the aircraft closer to improve the detail of the data collection. Subsequently, one of the specialists from LA LÍNEA VERTICAL reviewed the images in order to issue the technical report for the client with the details of the inspection.
The use of drones has made it possible to carry out this work at height more quickly and safely compared to traditional techniques, as well as 100% avoiding the access of people to areas of high elevation and difficult access with the risk of falling to different levels, especially in this case where ambient temperatures exceeded 48ºC due to the tremendous heat wave. In this way, the use of drones in industrial facilities is becoming more and more common, providing customers with comprehensive information on the status of key equipment, such as chimneys, without the need for a shutdown.
It should be noted that the use of drones in a controlled airspace area requires many procedures and formalities that can be complicated, but our company’s experience in working with these aircraft has facilitated the procedures to manage all the permits and to be able to carry out this inspection satisfactorily and in compliance with all the legal requirements, both to carry out this type of work within critical infrastructure and in terms of drone operations in restricted flight zones.