Everything You Need To Know About Commercial Drone Inspection

Posted by Donald J. Brooker on October 19th, 2021

Commercial drone inspections have done wonders for the commercial building industry. With a trained drone pilot, you as a business owner can safely inspect almost any level of your commercial structure, no matter how high the building is finished. Instead of waiting for the third level of your newly constructed office building to be finished, a trained iSky Drone pilot could simply fly the aerial camera up to that level, and you could view all the insides of the building that way. This could include everything from plumbing and electrical work, to the actual foundation of the building. What makes this so valuable is the fact that all the dirt and grime of years of construction can be viewed right from your desk at home, without having to go out into the real world to do it yourself.

Drone photography is also becoming more common in commercial drone inspection. Many of these inspections are done simply to get a more thorough view of a structure before construction is even started. One particular type of inspection that aerial surveying drone photography has done over the past few years is an x2 infrared inspection. This has shown to improve the structural integrity of commercial structures, as well as save on the amount of time needed for such inspections.

How does a commercial drone building inspection work? Well, generally speaking, it\'s quite simple. A commercial drone inspection begins by landing the aircraft directly above the target structure. The pilot then maneuvers the craft into a precise landing pattern, while maintaining a safe and steady altitude. From here, the inspection helicopter rises vertically towards the structure. This allows the robotic craft to land directly on the surface of whatever it is inspecting, providing a safer inspection with a significantly reduced cost.

In order to qualify for this type of commercial drone inspection, commercial organizations need to have one of two things: a qualified human in the field, or a data management system that can upload the information to a remote server. When the aircraft approaches the target structure, the robotic system will pick up the sensors from inside the air and send the data via radio frequency to the ground station. Once there, the data is analyzed by the data management team, and all of the pertinent information is stored digitally.

Today\'s commercial drone inspections are more precise than ever. Earlier inspections relied on ladders and handheld devices that were either not stable enough, or didn\'t have the right clearance to inspect certain areas. As a result, they often missed vital spots. Today\'s commercial drone inspections use much higher resolution imaging systems, which allow for a much larger area to be inspected, as well as the ability to move the aircraft over more difficult surfaces.

Another advancement in commercial drone inspection uses special paint or dye-coated cameras. This is most commonly used for \"night vision\" applications. The camera can be installed above or below an object, which allows the operator to clearly see what is below. For example, if a piece of machinery is damaged, but the operator cannot actually see what is down there, the camera will be equipped with a special sensor that will allow it to detect heat signatures. When the temperature goes below a specific point, the dye will absorb the heat and prevent it from being seen, thus allowing the operator to better determine the nature of the damage.

Most commercial drone inspections are done using drones fitted with software designed by companies such as Horizon Enterprises Inc. and Terra Voix, LLC. These proprietary software tools allow operators to control and monitor their drones from a remote location. They can also program in a variety of functions, including inspecting, locating, and identifying all types of potential hazards. This includes electrical components, cooling systems, and any other aspects of a structure that may pose a hazard to the crew.

Most major cities have their own power grids, and many times these power grids are very old and therefore dangerous to operate. A company that is looking to purchase or rent commercial property would be well advised to request drone thermal inspections of these power grids before purchasing them. Many of these inspections are extremely detailed and can take a long time to complete. In addition to protecting the man and equipment operating the power plants, these inspections also reduce the amount of natural hazard (e.g., smoke) in the surrounding environment. As more businesses make their way into the city, this type of preventive maintenance will undoubtedly continue to benefit both the company and its customers.