Engineering Asset Inspection - An Avian Case Study
Inspection of a large roof area can be difficult to undertake as some roof coverings are very old and worn and unable to be walked on. An inspector is able to conduct a visual inspection from a 3.6m ladder if safe, but is unable to climb or walk onto a roof for their own safety and possibility of damage. Often the inspector needs to undertake a comprehensive assessment of the condition of the roof coverings and drainage that simply cant be done without costly and time consuming safety approvals and equipment.
Avian Australia partners with building inspection companies to support inspection and condition reporting of facades and roofing using drones and suspension cameras. This makes the entire inspection process more efficient, cost effective and most importantly safe.
In this example we review the benefits of using Avian Australia for roof inspection and condition reporting.
To complete a periodic condition inspection the inspection company needs to ensure workers safety and gather the required information about the overall condition of the roof area including the drainage (downpipes, gutters, valleys). On a commercial roof area of this size this would take days to complete a routine maintenance inspection and weeks to plan the appropriate crane, permits and approvals to conduct the exercise.
In partnering with Avian Australia, we developed a tailored inspection process, specific for these assets using enterprise UAVs (Unmanned Aerial Vehicles) fitted with safety guards, zoom lenses and LED lighting. This enables us to capture the required level of detail over a larger area in a shorter amount of time and from a safe and workable distance.
This eliminates the risk of a collision and also obtains detailed photography that can be enlarged and used for desktop analysis and client reporting.
The Project
The client is responsible for the maintenance and performance of these assets on multiple sites around the state. The information gathered from the inspections is used to inform maintenance and repairs that can be a lengthy and expensive process due to the size of the assets and the infrequent downtime to conduct repairs.
Avian Australia was engaged to complete a condition inspection of the roof area and any observed superficial defects. Our methodology involved using the highly manuvourable drone to conduct a methodical inspection process then complete a sitemap of the entire roof areas for defect annotation and reporting.
In consultation with the inspector onsite the drone operator is able to complete the required data capture and mapping within the 3 hours.
In using our methodology we are able to complete periodic asset inspections on large commercial buildings in a shorter time frame allowing for more regular inspections and for potential issues to be identified and addressed sooner.
The Benefits
- The site downtime is reduced due to a more efficient inspection and maintenance planning process
- Inspectors are able to classify and identify issues sooner and prevent the facility being closed for inspection, maintenance or repairs.
- During the inspection process the inspector is able to direct the drone operator via a live HD video link.
- Digital images and video can be reviewed and analysed on a computer and used to establish a defect history and trend analysis to determine deterioration, history and inform maintenance and repairs..
- Materials and resources can be scheduled with greater certainty and streamlined costs as the existing conditions of the building are assessed more frequently and with more information gathered on the entire roof and drainage that is stored in a digital record for future reference.
