Confined-space drone inspections

MRS Training & Rescue announce new specialist drone inspection service for confined spaces

A BRAND-new drone inspection service for the exploration of indoor, inaccessible, and confined spaces has been launched by MRS Training & Rescue. The £60,000 investment sees the company expand its confined-space offer, an area it has been market leader in for over a century.

With an overall dimension just below 40cm (15.7in), the internal inspection drone fits into standard manholes and can enter any space where an inspection is needed, allowing preliminary visual inspections to be performed free from risks and beyond line of sight.

Faults can be discovered more quickly, without the need to wait for a planned maintenance shutdown period to discover them or for anyone to enter the confined space, thereby reducing risk, time, and cost.

The drone carries an optical camera, a thermal image camera, and a powerful lighting system, allowing it to capture both visual and thermal data and video and still images.

MRS’ specialist drone pilots can take measurements from the images captured, providing detailed inspection reports and 3D models of assets.

Paul Antcliffe, operations manager at MRS Training & Rescue, said: ‘We have been at the forefront of innovation since our inception over 100 years ago.

‘From our beginnings as the Mines Rescue Service, we have developed and diversified to meet the operational needs of industry to become the nation’s premier provider of specialist confined-space training and emergency rescue cover and consultancy.

‘By reducing the need for people to enter difficult and high-risk areas, this new service will support our existing confined-space offer to help deliver the very best solutions for industry.’