Industrial drones - application and meaning

In the following article, you will find out how industrial drones differ from other drones and what their application is in different industries.

Industrial drones are an achievement in the world of technology and are part of the industrial revolution. Most often, people associate industrial drones with their application in military operations, but that is not their only use. The application of drones in the industry is also related to the extraction of minerals and fossil fuels, construction, and security at work.

Over time, the technology of industrial drones is evolving more and more, including a strong multi-rotor body, GPS, various sensors, one or more high-resolution cameras. Different systems provide stability and security during flight, helping to avoid obstacles and enabling moving objects to be monitored. Industrial drones also work with innovative technology that allows image processing.

Thanks to the stability and technology with which industrial drones can fly and transmit information in complicated weather conditions. They can handle much better and more effectively in certain operations than human operators. It seems that drones are a technology that will improve the performance of the industry.

How drones are used in industries?

In addition to having a direct connection to the operator's controller, industrial drones establish a direct connection to industrial control systems, such as the supervisory control system. The sensors of industrial drones can take into account all climatic factors such as temperature, atmospheric pressure, humidity, electric and magnetic fields, and others. The sensors transmit this information directly to the main communication system.

What is the difference between commercial and industrial drones?

Commercial, industrial, and military drones can be flown at different speeds and raised to different heights. They all have different flight profile characteristics. When choosing a drone, you must carefully consider the conditions, in which you will use it.

It is also important to keep in mind that each type of drone differs in durability from the next one and is designed to be used at a different frequency in time. Industrial drones are much more resistant than drones designed for mass use, as they have a much stronger construction and this allows them to be used daily. This is one of the reasons why these drones have a higher price. They also have additional sensors through which mapping, monitoring, and several other industrial operations are performed.

One of the main advantages of industrial drones over commercial ones is that they are successfully applied in mapping, transmitting much more accurate data about the observed area. Commercial drones can also work with high-resolution cameras, but what makes them inapplicable in industrial processes such as mapping is the inability to transmit punctual details of the location of the treated area. Also, the lack of additional sensors for managing and transmitting information most often leads to capturing images that need further processing later, and this takes time. Lack of additional specific information can also prevent quality mapping.

Types of sensors used in industrial drones:

• Light and range detection sensors to avoid collisions, navigation, and 3D scanners.
• PIN diodes for motion detection.
• Cameras for monitoring, data collection, collision avoidance, and navigation.
• Manometers for navigation and collection of GPS data to determine the position.

Drone applications in the industry

Agriculture

Industrial drones can be used in many processes in agriculture. They are an indispensable assistant to farmers to collect up-to-date and accurate information on large agricultural areas. They also help to improve the efficiency of agricultural work and can be used to monitor all types of systems, grow and develop crops, and soil analysis.

Construction

Industrial drones have been successfully applied in data collection and real-time construction site monitoring. This improves safety and provides accurate information on construction processes. The aerial views provided by industrial drones can help track the progress of construction sites and prevent dangerous situations or notice problems in time.

In the oil and gas sectors

Industrial drones are also used in the oil and gas sectors, mainly for observations and data transmission in real-time in large units such as diesel tanks. Regular internal inspections have to be carried out and drones are a great tool for that.

The use of drones in internal inspections eliminates the need for an inspector, which reduces cost and improves safety. Also, there is no need for constructing scaffolds, which requires quite a bit of time and resources.

Mining industry

Drones in the mining industry are used very effectively to study working conditions. In this industry, working conditions are extremely dangerous and the availability of this technology significantly reduces the risk for workers, having to go to hard-to-reach places. They provide timely information through georeferenced images that can be quickly transformed into a 3D image. Thus, miners can decide how to design and build a specific site so that it is as sustainable and quality as possible.

Through the provided drone footage, the extraction sites can be monitored, a 3D site reconstruction can be performed, workflow can be monitored and a proper risk assessment can be made. They can provide information on whether there is remaining material in a mining area and determine whether an area is stable enough to decide if it is safe for miners to enter it.

Industrial drones are increasingly used in other sectors such as electricity generation, maritime applications, infrastructure, and utilities.

Conclusion

Industrial drones have the largest impact in industries, where you need to collect visual data or get to hard-to-reach places. In addition to the mentioned industries, drones are also used for the inspection of bridges, electricity generation facilities, inspections of telecommunications systems, and others.

Drones are becoming a quality investment that not only has a substantial return in the long run, but also ensures the safety of workers. In the future, drones are likely to replace humans in many processes in various industries, and this has already begun to happen even in small and medium-sized businesses.

With us, you can find the best models of industrial drones on the market. Contact us if you need a consultation.