RH Precision Unmanned INC. was contacted by a large scale energy provider to aid in the assessment and investigation of their Steam Pipe Distribution System. Through the deployment of a IR capable drone, RH Precision Unmanned INC. was able to help identify different steam pipe distribution lines throughout the system. Our company collaborated with not only the utility provider, but also several end clients to ensure that take off and landing locations, along with flight operations, maintained regulatory compliance. Several kilometers were scanned over the course of four nights to meet project requirements. All flight operations occurred overnight to eliminate the potential for solar gain on roadway surfaces to reduce the potential for misidentification of thermal anomalies. Autonomous flight plans ensured that all of the data sets were consistent and ensured that operational efficiency was achieved over a 10km flight plan. Multiple take off and landing zones were used to maintain Visual Line of Sight at all times while guaranteeing full coverage of the steam pipe distribution system.

When data capture was complete, RH Precision Unmanned INC. was tasked with organizing all of the data sets for 10km worth of scanning. All IR images were organized by street, intersection and directional heading to allow for a seamless integration into the assessment and analysis workflow. By having this layer of data, a utility provider can now establish a more detailed report of line locations, temperatures, and identify any anomalies throughout the Distribution System.