Terra Drone Brazil has carried out the first unmanned FPSO tank inspection in Brazil. Credit: Terra Drone.

Terra Drone Brazil has completed the country’s first drone inspection of an offshore floating production storage and offloading (FPSO) tank for Petrobas.

The subsidiary of Japan-based Terra Drone carried out the unmanned FPSO tank examination for Petrobras as it requires its cargo and ballast tanks to be checked regularly.

Go deeper with GlobalData

Data Insights

The gold standard of business intelligence.

Find out more

Related Company Profiles

View all

Examination of the FPSO tank helps to spot signs of corrosion, cracks, fractures and welding anomalies, allowing them to be rectified before damage is caused to a ship’s structural integrity.

The ballast tank inspection was undertaken on board Petrobas’ P-66, an FPSO unit of the Brazilian state-owned oil company that is operating in the Pre Salt area of the Santos Basin, 300km south-east of Santos, Brazil.

Inspections are generally completed by a team of four workers who are sent inside the confined tank space, with the entire process lasting between half a day and a full day while posing a safety risk to the staff involved.

Lasting just an hour, the drone-led inspection was completed without human workers needing to enter the tank.

How well do you really know your competitors?

Access the most comprehensive Company Profiles on the market, powered by GlobalData. Save hours of research. Gain competitive edge.

Company Profile – free sample

Thank you!

Your download email will arrive shortly

Not ready to buy yet? Download a free sample

We are confident about the unique quality of our Company Profiles. However, we want you to make the most beneficial decision for your business, so we offer a free sample that you can download by submitting the below form

By GlobalData
Visit our Privacy Policy for more information about our services, how we may use, process and share your personal data, including information of your rights in respect of your personal data and how you can unsubscribe from future marketing communications. Our services are intended for corporate subscribers and you warrant that the email address submitted is your corporate email address.

Terra Drone Brazil executive director Marcelo Belleti said: “Not only is unmanned FPSO tank inspection safer, but it is also much quicker and more precise than manual inspection.

“Further, drone inspections for cargo tanks can lead to potential cost-savings as well.”

Fitted with high definition cameras, the drones provided clear pictures and videos to ensure a quality deliverable report for all 40 points that were pre-defined for the close-up inspection.

Terra Drone Brazil is certified by the American Bureau of Shipping (ABS), DNV GL and Loyd’s Register as a service supplier that is approved for surveying by using remote inspection techniques, providing alternative means for a close-up survey of the structure of ships and mobile offshore units.

Meanwhile, the Petrobras P-66 is also certified by ABS.