Drone tech take safety inspections to new heights

Imagine if you could suddenly carry out an arduous – but essential – task around the home or at work in a fraction of the time it would normally take, thanks to one simple innovation.

That’s the case for employees at our Dagenham Engine Plant in the UK, who are now using drones to inspect high-up and hard-to-reach parts of the factory, while keeping their feet firmly on the ground.

Maintenance teams use radio-controlled drones fitted with advanced digital cameras to view areas of the plant they can’t see from ground level. This way they can check that structures – including those supporting the plant’s heavy machinery – are well-maintained and comply with rigorous safety standards.

While the job used to take hours to complete using scaffolding, the team can now inspect a 40-metre long area of the plant in just 12 minutes. With the time saved, the team can carry out more frequent inspections.

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