In a standout example of cross-company innovation, Sonomatic, Geo Oceans, and AUAV have successfully delivered a highly specialised inspection campaign on an operating FPSO. The project aimed to investigate prior visual inspection results on a bulkhead within a cargo tank, requiring a fully integrated NDT solution under a single contract.
Group Collaboration Delivers Groundbreaking Robotic and Drone Inspection
PROCESS
The inspection involved deploying Sonomatic’s Robotic Magnetic Crawler, custom-modified by the E2i division to suit the tank’s unique environment. Geo Oceans and AUAV facilitated the deployment, with AUAV operating the SCOUT DI 137 UAV under BVLOS (Beyond Visual Line of Sight) conditions to assist with navigation and positioning.
The team completed the operation with less than one man-hour of confined space entry, overcoming the challenge of conducting a thorough inspection in a hazardous and restricted environment. The integration of robotics and UAVs enabled a safe, efficient, and high-quality inspection.
Outcome
The inspection results were conclusive, saving the client from a costly shipyard maintenance campaign and weeks of lost production. This project exemplifies the power of cross-company synergy, combining robotics, UAVs, and inspection expertise into a streamlined, high-performance solution. Future use cases are already in development, expanding to other structural locations on the asset.
A clear win for the client—and a milestone worth celebrating across the group.