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From Materials Evaluation, Vol. 77, No. 4, pp: 472-478.
Copyright © 2019 The American Society for Nondestructive Testing, Inc.

ONES Unmanned Aerial Vehicle

Use in Nondestructive
Testing: An Overview
by Jason Burleson

It is self-evident that flying a UAV for visual inspection has a lot of benefits
such as keeping the inspector safe, reducing inspection costs, and avoiding
shutdowns of the equipment to be inspected. However, there are challenges
as well, such as its operation may require FAA approval. With the advance of
technology, UAVs are used in oil and gas, infrastructure, power generation
and transmission, and transportation industries.
—John Chen, Back to Basics editor

T
he use of unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) is presently increasing
for numerous nondestructive testing (NDT) applications with the
emergence of new technologies. The research and development of
composite materials and circuit technology concerning UAVs—or
drones as they are more commonly known—is allowing them to become a
more stable platform for visual inspections and assisting in the preplanning
phase throughout the industry, especially in bridge inspections (as shown in
Figure 1) (SenseFly 2018). This groundbreaking technology allows personnel
to reach areas that once required a plant shutdown or the use of access
equipment such as ladders, scaffolding, or other specialized equipment. The
use of UAVs in the industry will continue to create an environment that will
allow for safer inspections and reduced downtime, because technicians will
be placed where they are needed most (Dahlstrom and Branch 2018).
Photo credit: Flyability

Digital Extras For videos of UAVs in use for nondestructive inspections, please visit
the digital Materials Evaluation. Videos provided courtesy of Apellix and Flyability
(flyability.com).

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Under current FAA rules, there are two

options to fly drones legally, with each option
having its own set of unique requirements...
Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) l Follow community-based safety guidelines and fly
Requirements within the programming of a nationwide
The FAA refers to UAVs as “unmanned aircraft community-based organization.
systems” (UAS), sometimes called drones, and l Fly a model aircraft under 55 lbs (24.95 kg), unless
defines them as an aircraft without a human pilot certified by a community-based organization.
onboard. According to the current rules, any aircraft l Fly within visual line-of-sight.
that operates in national airspace is required to be l Never fly near other aircraft.
certificated and registered. The aircraft also requires a l Notify the airport and air traffic control tower prior to
licensed pilot and operational approval by the FAA. flying within 5 miles (8.05 km) of an airport.
Under current FAA rules, there are two options to fly l Never fly near emergency response efforts.
drones legally, with each option having its own set of
unique requirements based upon how personnel are Fly under the FAAs Small UAS Rule (Part 107)
going to utilize the drone (FAA 2019). To meet these requirements, users must:
l Fly for recreational or commercial use.
Fly under the Special Rule for Model Aircraft l Register the drone.
(Section 336) l Get a Remote Pilot Certificate from the FAA (more on
To meet these requirements, users must: this below).
l Fly for hobby or recreation ONLY. l Fly a drone under 55 lbs (24.95 kg).
l Register the model aircraft. l Fly within visual line-of-sight (rule subject to FAA
waiver).
l Don’t fly near other aircraft or over people (rule
subject to FAA waiver).
l Don’t fly in controlled airspace near airports without
FAA permission (rule subject to FAA waiver).
l Fly only during daylight or civil twilight, at or below
400 ft (121.92 m) (rule subject to FAA waiver).

To obtain a Remote Pilot Certification from the FAA,

users must be at least 16 years old, pass an aeronau-
tical knowledge test at an FAA-approved knowledge
testing center (a person who already holds a pilot
certificate issued under 14 CFR part 61 and has
successfully completed a flight review within the
previous 24 months can complete a part 107 online
training course at faasafetey.gov to satisfy this require-
ment), and undergo Transportation Safety
Administration (TSA) screening (FAA 2019).
Users must register the UAS as a “non-modeler.”
Unmanned aircraft not flown under section 336 must
be registered under part 107. As of the time of writing,
registration costs $5 per aircraft and is valid for three
years.
Figure 1. An example of unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) during a bridge
inspection. (Photo courtesy of SenseFly)

474 MATERIALS EVALUATION • APRIL 2019

 Users must also follow all part 107 rules. These being eliminated one by one. The following are
are as follows (FAA 2019): common advantages and disadvantages that are
l Unmanned aircraft must weigh less than 55 lbs presented within each inspection service.
(24.95 kg), including payload, at takeoff.
l The UAV must be flown in class G airspace (rule Advantages to Using UAVs for NDT
subject to FAA waiver). The advantages to using UAVs for NDT inspections
l The UAV must be kept within visual line-of-sight include the following:
(rule subject to FAA waiver). l Eliminates danger to personnel
l The UAV must be flown at or below 400 ft (122 m) l Reduces costs associated with preliminary inspec-
(rule subject to FAA waiver). tions
l The UAV must be flown during daylight or civil l Provides the ability to gather several types of data
twilight (rule subject to FAA waiver). on a single platform (for example, high-definition
l The UAV must be flown at or under 100 mph images, video, thermal imaging, and thickness
(161 kph) (rule subject to FAA waiver). readings)
l The UAV must yield the right of way to manned l Allows inspection to be carried out without
aircraft (rule subject to FAA waiver). shutdown activities (such as emptying pipelines or
l The UAV cannot be directly flown over people (here, storage tanks)
the term “over” refers to the flight of the small l Allows for increased inspection of hard-to-access areas
unmanned aircraft directly over any part of a l Allows for automated discontinuity detection
person) (rule subject to FAA waiver). The advantages to the use of UAVs are growing
It is important to note that the FAA regulates the each day. As mentioned previously, the greatest
national air space, and FAA rules and regulations will advantage is increased safety for personnel, which in
not apply to indoor operations pertaining to NDT (FAA today’s operational climate is paramount. With the
2019). In other words, if an inspector is trained in ability to increase inspection activities without having
operating a UAV and is performing an inspection to shut down processes and leave storage containers
inside an asset, he or she does not have to be inactive, utilizing UAVs will not only reduce operational
certified by the FAA. costs, but also provide early detection for possible
issues (Eschmann et al. 2013). Furthermore, with
UAV Advantages and Challenges in NDT current software development, technicians are able to
Within the different areas of inspection where UAVs set parameters for automated discontinuity detection
are currently being deployed, each capability that will allow inspection teams to spot target areas of
possesses its own unique set of advantages and interest from preliminary data collection, thus reducing
disadvantages. However, with the continuing develop- onsite time and costs (Eschmann et al. 2013). With
ments in technology, many of the disadvantages are the use of thermal imaging systems, technicians are

Figure 2. An example of single unit that includes high-definition video, high-resolution imagery, and thermal imagery
capabilities. (Photo courtesy of SenseFly)

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...many of the disadvantages are being

eliminated through research and development
of new processes and techniques.
able to see temperature differences in structures and l Flight time is limited based on battery or fuel usage
pipelines, which if interpreted correctly can show l Limited ability to collect data while flying under-
areas of corrosion or internal damage that need to be neath a structure; for example, during bridge
repaired. Figure 2 shows new camera technology that inspections (however, with new camera configura-
allows technicians to take high-resolution still images, tions, this disadvantage has been eliminated)
high-definition video, and thermal images on a single l Thermal imaging is difficult to interpret in colder
pass, which eliminates the need to land the UAV and climates
change equipment (Jung and Liebelt 2016). l Initial costs
As previously stated, many of the disadvantages
Challenges to Using UAVs for NDT are being eliminated through research and develop-
While the use of UAVs offers many advantages, it also ment of new processes and techniques. For example,
presents challenges, including the following: by using carbon fiber for UAV construction, the overall
l Difficult to operate during inclement weather (for weight is reduced, allowing for increased payloads. In
example, rain, high winds, or dense fog) addition, by mounting the camera in the forward
l Payload restrictions position on a swivel, the UAV is able to be flown
l GPS signal loss in congested areas during closer to the target object and allow for a 180°
autonomous operations rotation to gather data both above and below. Many
UAVs allow for preprogrammed autonomous flight or
remote control–based manual operations. The
automated flight plan will save onsite operations
because the plan can be preprogramed before arriving
at the inspection location (Dahlstrom and Branch
2018). The main obstacle in the use of UAVs is
weather instability, because stout winds and heavy
rain can create a hazardous environment for UAV oper-
ations. It is a must to monitor weather conditions—
especially wind—during operations not only to
protect the equipment but personnel also (Marinho
et al. 2012).

Current UAV Inspection Capabilities

Currently UAVs are being used to gather data for the
inspection of oil and gas pipelines, storage tanks,
bridges, wind turbines, railroad lines, flare stacks,
power lines, and cooling towers, to name a few. The
most common application is for visual inspection.
Close visual inspection can be carried out without
interruption to operation or loss of service, and allows
for the inspection of several targets in close proximity
(for example, wind turbines on a wind farm).
Preliminary and increased visual inspections can be
Figure 3. An example of a thickness inspection performed by drone. (Photo carried out by two-person teams, thus eliminating the
courtesy of Jeremy Countryman) costly overhead associated with deploying large teams

476 MATERIALS EVALUATION • APRIL 2019

and equipment that was once necessary to complete Another area where UAVs are invaluable is with
the same tasks (Froese 2019). bridge inspections and other transportation areas like
UAV teams can also be tasked with oil rig inspec- railroads. UAVs can carry out visual inspection opera-
tion. There are inherent dangers on oil rigs that tions at a faster pace than conventional techniques,
prevent safe access to hazardous areas. By using a which provides technicians and engineers with the
UAV, this danger is eliminated, and with additional ability to locate problematic areas or areas of concern.
sensors, the inspection team can detect harmful gases Therefore, direct preventive actions can be properly
and heat loss, which if left alone could cause personal thought out, which will reduce downtime and prevent
injury and operational downtime. Thermal imaging the formation of a hazardous area (Flyability 2018).
plays a key role in this type of inspection (Jung and When performing confined space inspections, the
Liebelt 2016). safety of personnel is a prime concern of managers.
Ultrasonic wall thickness testing has been The Swiss have developed specialized drones for
advanced by organizations whose mission is to isolated areas and dangerous environments. Their
develop solutions to impossible situations that are technology has been designed to remove personnel
designed to keep workers safe. An example is shown from these areas and allow for visual inspections from
in Figure 3. Some UAVs have been developed to a safe and secure location. This is especially demon-
become autonomous in carrying out contact-based strated with collision-tolerant drones that have been
NDT inspection duties after a pilot launches them. hardened to 800 roentgens per hour (R/hr), which
These units can perform measurements up to 330 ft allows for the visual inspection of nuclear plants while
(100 m) above ground level, performing over 100 in operation (Flyability 2018). It is important to point
separate measurements per hour while using the out again that UAVs used indoors do not require the
tethered power supply (but can fly higher using pilots to be certified by the FAA. They are also
batteries). The drone has the ability of all-day flight specially designed to be collision tolerant and are able
with the use of ground power, eliminating the use of to roll and bounce through the asset, in contrast to
batteries, and only requires basic piloting skills nonprotected drones. An example of such a drone is
(Dahlstrom and Branch 2018). shown in Figure 4.

Figure 4. An example of a specialized collision-resistant drone designed for use in confined spaces. (Photo courtesy of
Flyability)

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The use of UAVs in NDT is becoming

a cost-effective tool to assist technicians
in the industry.
Conclusion REFERENCES
The use of UAVs in NDT is becoming a cost-effective Dahlstrom, B., and J. Branch, 2018, “Contact-based
tool to assist technicians in the industry. When used Nondestructive Testing (NDT) at Height with Aerial Robotics
(Drone),” CoatingsTech Magazine, Vol. 15, No. 7; available
in conjunction with current techniques, safety for at https://www.paint.org/article/contact-based-nonde-
personnel is increased due to the fact they do not structive-testing-ndt-at-height-with-aerial-robotics-drone/.
have to access hazardous or remote areas as once Eschmann, C., C.-M. Kuo, C.-K. Kuo, and C. Boller, 2013,
required. The use of UAVs for data gathering allows for “Unmanned Aircraft Systems for Remote Building Inspec-
tion and Monitoring,” 6th European Workshop on Structural
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that will help catalog areas of interest throughout the Germany; available at https://www.ndt.net/article/
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technology, the possibilities are limitless, especially in tion to Increase Nuclear Safety,” posted 25 September 2018;
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800-r/h-of-radiation-to-increase-nuclear-safety.
software packages already in use will allow for real-
Froese, Michelle, 2019, “Drones: A Safer Option for Up-
time comparison of previous inspection data with the Tower Blade Inspections,” posted 2 January 2019; https://
data currently being gathered, which will alert the www.windpowerengineering.com/business-news-projects/
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ated with the initial setup and preventative mainte- Imaging Camera,” retrieved 10 February 2016; http://www
nance will be reduced as technology advances. UAVs .flir.co.uk/instruments/building/display/?id=60572.
can be used as a stand-alone resource, but are better Marinho, C.A., C.L. de Souza, T. Motomura, and A. da Silva,
used in conjunction with a full inspection service. w x 2012, “In-Service Flares Inspection by Unmanned Aerial
Vehicles (UAVs),” 18th World Conference on Nondestructive
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AUTHOR
SenseFly, 2018, The Intelligent Mapping and Inspection
Jason Burleson: The Ocean Corporation, 10840 Rockley Rd., Drone [brochure], retrieved 25 February 2019; https://www
Houston, TX 77099; (281) 530-0202 X126; email jason .sensefly.com/app/uploads/2018/05/albris_EN.pdf.
[email protected]

478 MATERIALS EVALUATION • APRIL 2019