There has been an increased demand for asset inspection using drones as this new drone-based inspections are a lot more efficient, speedy and deliver quality data acquisition for industries without compromising on safety.

Drone-based inspection is an evolving technology which is power-packed with a lot of benefits for companies and businesses but many are still not aware of these benefits they stand to enjoy by opting for the use of these (sUAVs) small unmanned aerial vehicles for the inspection of their assets.

Traditional asset inspection methods come with a lot of challenges which these modern sUAVs try to counter. The most prominent of these challenges are the risk factors, while other challenges like the length of time, and high costs of carrying out a traditional inspection are worthy of concern. Many industries and companies have started moving towards drones for a more convenient asset inspection.

Some of the top adopters of the drone asset inspection are the Oil and Gas, Commercial builders, Energy and Power, Water Towers, Telecomm and other industries who believe in safety first and the speed of inspection. The companies deploying drones for inspection can always rely on a detailed, accurate and speedily produced inspection data whereas those sticking with traditional methods find it difficult to get such results over the same period.

While the drone use-case applications tend to vary among companies, industries (like the energy, building, real estate, insurance industries) which have similar requirements prefer to use these UAVs for a wide range of asset inspections.

Considering that traditional methods of asset inspection tend to produce inaccurate data due to factors like human error, utilizing drones for these activities not only produces more accurate data but also saves time, are less risky and inexpensive.

Some of the benefits of using drones for inspection include:

1. More Detailed data collection: Unmanned aerial vehicles (UAV) which are equipped with ultra-high quality cameras and obstacle avoidance functionality can hover through close structures giving it access to minuscule details with impressive high-resolution imagery and/or 4K video. This would show in more details the defects and issues with the building(s) at angles and elevations which are inaccessible to humans. This helps to keep the inspection team away from risks while collecting comprehensive data.
2.  Minimise health risks and dangers: With the deployment of drones for inspection of tall structures and other complex structures and facilities with a high-risk rate like oil and gas refineries, pipelines, and flare stacks, there’s no need for the physical presence of workers in such hostile environment where there’s a high possibility of accidents.
3. Saves both Money & Time: Through the deployment of drones, industries have begun saving time and money which would have been used to erect ladders, swing stages, aerial lifts, access towers, and all other heavy equipment. Utilising drones for inspection means no more hiring or acquiring heavy pieces of equipment, ladders for your inspections. It saves the time for this process and the time for getting everything setup and running. Due to the less time required for inspection, you can use these UAVs to inspect even more assets than usual in one sitting.

How the New Droneworxs Sony A7RIII camera delivers stunning imagery

Now that we’ve talked about the benefits of having a drone fitted with powerful cameras doing the inspection, let’s introduce you to the new droneworxs Sony A7RIII camera. This new droneworxs camera delivers stunning image and video quality.

The new droneworxs is mounted with a superb camera, a Sony A2R III. This camera is a superb replacement for the prior A7R II. The new camera, Sony A2R III is a high- resolution device that boasts of a 10fps shooting too!

The Sony A7R III is a powerful camera that has a negligible weakness – it is versatile and yet very powerful. Some users have tagged it ‘Jack of all trades.’ The A7R III has the following features;

• 10fps shooting (continuous)
• 4k video options
• High-quality resolution

The new Droneworxs Sony A7R III has everything it will take to deliver superb image quality. Originally it was made for videographers and as a sports camera. The ridiculously high-speed continuous shooting of the full-frame mirrorless camera gives it an edge over its contemporaries. A lot of pro-videographers may want it all; high speed, high-quality images and 4k video options, which makes the A7R III just a perfect catch.

According to some users of this camera, “it is a beast.” Its video options do not permit line skipping and also can run slo-mo, has a high-resolution of 42.4megapixels.

Okay. So what makes this camera able to deliver perfect pictures?

It’s Built for High Resolution:

Putting the features of the Droneworx Sony A7R III together, one can only expect high-quality imagery. The 42.4-megapixel resolution delivers excellent images. Quick successive shots can be gathered faster due to the 10fps of the camera which makes it comparatively better than the A9 model, which can only deliver 5fps in the normal shutter mode.

You Are Unlikely to get Out-of-focus imagery:

The Sony A7RIII has an increased numbering and a greater autofocus than its predecessor the A7RII.

The centre-spot autofocus ensures that nearly 100% of the times of usage, the focus is deadly accurate. The RAW images which were originally captured in 12 bits are now captured in 14 bits.

The dynamism of the camera has been increased and that means you can drive up the ISO level to the point where dark images have lesser noise. The filters (NR filters) are left to do their high-quality smoothing of any images.

Quality Images Even in Low Light:

The new Droneworxs A7R III is a champion of low light. The increased ISO allows images that are shot at night to be bright and useful. An ISO of 12,800 would produce good images for night shooting but what about an ISO of 32,000 or 64,000? You can only guess how powerful such sensitivity is and how much precision the images would get.

When used for video under low light, the A7R III compresses about a quarter of the resolution (that is about 12.2 megapixels) into a same-sized sensor. You also have the freedom of reducing images resolution from the 42.2 megapixels for instance; to as low as 12.2 megapixels during the low light video shoot and that will drastically reduce the amount of noise on the imagery. There is also an improvement in the quality of the JPEG images which presents a much more true-to-life colour and a less sharpening.

Putting these functions together when doing asset inspection using Droneworxs Sony A7R III, you can only achieve a highly comprehensive data with precise images and users cannot be subjected to any form of risk whatsoever as well as having ample time in their hands. Most companies have embraced the idea and there is no going back.

Why you should find out the type of equipment your drone company is using

Our Drone Fleet

Doing a thorough investigation into the kind of equipment that your drone company is using is quite an important and necessary move to make if you are concerned with avoiding most of the hitches that come with the UAV technology.

When subscribed to a proficient drone company with the necessary equipment, there may be a noticeable upsurge in business due to the availability of ample time, precision of data presentation and the optimum safety involved. These three elements are vital to the growth of any company. There are various hardware and software choices in the drone market and this will present even a bigger challenge in choosing a drone or drone company to subscribe to, most especially when the success of your business is at stake.

Drone mapping tools (software) are used to enhance mapping services. Some of the most trusted software is listed below;

• Oz Runway : Helps you get airspace restrictions or advice based on the area or vicinity of your flight.
• Drone Complier : Helps  pilots maintain flight logs and equipment .
• Bureau of Meteorology: Provides with up-to-date weather forecast so you can make plans for your flight from wherever you are.

Obviously, your UAV needs may vary from time to time. Your drone company may need to be updated on what your needs are before offering the service. In the case of asset inspection, you will need 4k drone equipment, a high-resolution camera quality, a camera gimbal to help point the camera at a specific direction, video downlink receiver to help the collection or viewing of the footage at a convenient time etc.

All of this equipment is not just found in every drone company because of the different niches of drone use. However, a proper background check of the company and its available equipment can help you make right decisions and fall back on insurance if need be. Here are the reasons you should find out about your drone company equipment at a glance.

• To establish trust between you and your drone company.
• To help the company know what your needs are and how to meet them.
• To ensure that you have the updated drone service. In the long run, business is either progressive or interrupted by your choice of Drone Company as the case may be.