Skyriders Access Specialists (Pty) Ltd. set a new record when it deployed its Elios SkyEye confined-space drone for the first time in the massive internal space of the back-pass ducting at a major coal-fired power station in Limpopo.
The back-pass ducting conveys the hot exhaust gases and fly ash to the precip hoppers, and ultimately to the smokestack. This huge space measures 6 m by 6 m, and is about 35 m high, which means that installing the necessary scaffolding in order to gain access for any inspection purposes is extremely costly compared to the end result, which may even be that no repair is necessary.
“We can use our Elios SkyEye drone to inspect the entire area rapidly and thoroughly,” Skyriders Marketing Manager Mike Zinn stresses. If any repair work such as welding or further Non-Destructive Testing (NDT) is required, highly qualified and experienced rope access technicians can be deployed.
“We are able to give our client complete peace of mind in our capability of fulfilling their specific requirements quickly and efficiently,” Zinn comments. The deployment of the Elios SkyEye drone slashes the cost of using a traditional access method such as scaffolding by as much as 80%.
In addition to the inspection process itself, Skyriders also provides a complete report and analysis for the client, detailing its findings, and providing any recommendations. “We offer a multidisciplinary maintenance, repair, and inspection service for a range of industries and clients,” Zinn concludes.