Overview
Osprey Inspection conducted a confined space drone inspection of industrial storage tanks on behalf of an industrial operator in Norway. The client required a comprehensive internal surface condition assessment of multiple tanks — including shell plates, roof plates, floor plates, internal fittings, and nozzles — without exposing personnel to the hazardous confined space environment.
Traditional confined space inspection of tanks requires extensive preparation: gas freeing, cleaning, scaffolding erection, ventilation management, and confined space entry permits. The drone based approach eliminated personnel entry entirely, reducing the inspection preparation burden and associated safety risks while delivering equivalent or superior coverage quality.
Scope
- Full internal shell plate condition — corrosion, pitting, weld condition assessment
- Roof plate and floating roof seal condition survey
- Floor plate and sump visual condition assessment
- Internal structural members, stiffeners, and ladder condition
- Nozzle and manway internal face condition
- Internal coating condition and breakdown areas mapped
Deliverables
Complete internal visual coverage of each tank was achieved within a fraction of the time required for conventional entry-based methods. The final deliverable package included a comprehensive condition report with annotated imagery, defect register, severity classification, and maintenance recommendations — enabling the client to plan repairs without the lead time of a conventional inspection campaign.