FORCE Technology is sending drones out on new missions

5 April 2017

Drones and related technologies are predicted to have exponential growth potential, and the interest in developing drone-borne solutions in the industry has gained momentum. Using drones offers unique new opportunities in the measurement and inspection area, and can revolutionise how measurement takes place today.

This is the background for a major performance contract granted to FORCE Technology and the Alexandra Institute by the Danish Agency for Science & Higher Education. The aim of the project is to give measurement technologies a boost and develop new drone-borne solutions, benefitting industry and society.

Measurement in inaccessible places on a cost-effective basis

Drones can make measurement systems mobile, which presents some special advantages for measurement in inaccessible places on a cost-effective basis. So far, drones have primarily been used for various types of visual measurement, mapping and documentation via installed photo/video equipment and data transmission.

Together, FORCE Technology and the Alexandra Institute wish to send drones out on challenging new missions involving other types of measurement technology. Our focus is on developing new drone-borne solutions based on microdesign with gas and particle sensors, as well as ultrasound sensors, and establishing a drone-management platform with modules to support these application areas.

The project includes developing new methods for:

• Contact-based measurements with ultrasound in inaccessible places, such as wind turbine blades.
• Drone-based measurements of gases and particles from diffuse or inaccessible sources such as biogas facilities, landfill sites, ships, etc.
• Software platforms that support drone-based solutions within the project's focus areas.

There is a strong interest in developing new drone-based solutions in the energy/offshore industry and in the environmental area, where new solutions can help streamline inspection, mapping, and documentation. Key cost parameters such as stopping wind turbines to enable blade inspection, or emissions from biogas facilities due to leaks, have a great impact on the operating economy. The industry therefore has a keen interest in developing new measurement methods of high quality and accuracy that can have a positive impact on companies' financial results.

For a number of years, FORCE Technology has performed drone-based inspections both onshore and offshore, with focus on visual data collection, and we will continue to build on this knowledge and experience in the project.

Further information

For further information about the drone project, please contact Trine Erdal.

Read more about the drone project (in Danish).