Elimco UAS successfully completes the first validation flight for UAV inspection over underground gas pipelines.

The validation flight was carried out with the reliable and completely autonomous electric fixed wing E-300 Viewer system by request of a well-known European gas company.

The task was consisted of a two way flight of less than one hour at low altitud over 50Km of underground pipelines gathering  high resolution data.

During the flight video was recorded and more than 1.000 high resolution images were taken.
Then the images were georeferenced and processed with a specialized software to locate and overimpose the buried pipeline and its control and access points.

With the processed data then came the analysis of the line which was done at a resolution of 8cm/px detecting and highlighting any anomalies, movements, works, natural displacements and any other listed circumstances that could be considered as actual or potential dangers to the integrity of the line, to its control items or to its surrounding safety area.

The main advantages of the UAV system (UAS) E-300 Viewer is that it really is an industrial UAV, meaning that it has enough flight time and enough speed to gather data at a price that clearly compensates for the investment in this new technology tool making it very attractive when compared to other traditional tools.

The image management in a georeferenced frame has been handled by the Geographical Information System (GIS) Condor, also from Elimco, which turns out to be a very fast and user friendly interface for operating, storing and transmitting the data that the gas company will accumulate as a periodic record of its infrastructures.

Many other E-300 Viewer UAV topography, research and inspection projects are being carried out nowadays in South America and Europe.

http://www.elimco.com/eng/c_Unmanned-Aircraft-Vehicles-UAV-_10.html