A photo of a load of industrial chimneys taken with a drone

Industrial Chimney Inspection The most damage-prone areas of chimneys are the hardest to see from the ground. Drones allow for precise inspection from a safe distance.

Inspect stacks fast, with minimal downtime

Industrial chimneys use hazardous materials and deteriorate over time. A regular inspection is a proactive form of maintenance that uncovers many problems before they get worse. Drones are fast and cost-effective — inspecting from a safe distance without affecting the structure itself.

Engineers With Drones have the industry experience to accurately identify areas that are deteriorating. Compiling the information into accurate, actionable reports.

Locate IrregularitiesPinpoint ProblemsRemote MonitoringHard-To-Reach Areas

Locate Irregularities

Drones equipped with thermal imaging cameras allow you to accurately assess the condition of a chimney. Infrared photographs can be used to detect extreme temperature differences that can locate otherwise unseen issues, such as concealed moisture damage and heat leakage.

A drone inspecting an industrial chimney stack

Pinpoint Problem Areas

Using ultra-high-definition cameras and zoom lenses we can pinpoint areas that are suffering from decay, cracks, erosion, corrosion and other damage. Enjoy peace of mind in knowing that issues that are causing, and have the potential to cause, serious problems will be found quickly and efficiently.

A power station stack as seen by a drone

Remote Monitoring

The use of drone 3D modelling technologies gives you the opportunity to inspect a digital twin of a chimney from the comfort of your office. This detailed replica can be inspected at a minute level, allowing you to make a record of any areas that are in need of attention. Issues such as poorly executed repairs, general damage and other potential weaknesses can be shared with your employees, suppliers and other shareholders at the click of a button.

A concrete chimney stack being inspected

Access Hard-To-Reach Areas

The use of specialist impact-resistance technology deployed with our drones allows us to access areas that are otherwise too hazardous or difficult to reach. Get instant data from confined spaces without the time-consuming, labour-intensive and costly methods of the past, and with zero risk to personnel.

An internal inspection of a chimney stack

Why use a drone for your industrial chimney inspection?

Safety

The safety of your personnel and our own is paramount, and we place it at the forefront of our company culture. Ask us about our HSSE systems and practices.

Hard-to-reach spaces

Drones aren't just for flying up in the sky. Our specialist drones can fly into confined spaces like chimneys and boilers to look for issues that would otherwise be inaccessible.

No scaffolding or ropes

Drone technology is cheaper, safer and more reliable than traditional methods such as scaffolding, cherry-pickers and ropes. It's also quicker and less labour-intensive. We will bring everything we need and be out of your way that same day.

No traffic disruption

Downtime is expensive, unpopular and inconvenient. Using a drone, our engineers can conduct a thorough survey with little to no downtime.

Quick turnaround

We understand that you need answers fast. We can deliver a plain-English report with clear-cut conclusions in days. Then, you can take the steps you need to and get back to doing what you do best.

Detect hidden problems

We use cutting-edge technologies to detect problems that would otherwise be invisible. These include 4K ultra-HD photography/video, LIDAR and thermal imaging.

Cost-efficient

Drone inspections take up less of your manhours and resources than traditional inspections, giving you a faster and more budget-friendly return on your investment.

Real-time consulting

Sometimes the brief can change even in real-time. If need be, you can be stood there right next to the drone operator, directing them as the situation develops.

Allow a professional to do the inspecting for you...

There are many areas of a chimney stack (also called a smoke stack) that are susceptible to wear. In order to carry out a comprehensive inspection, it's important to know all these aspects. As engineers, we know what to look for and where to look for it when inspecting industrial chimneys.

Industrial chimney drone inspection
Get closer without risk  or delay

Saving time before, during, and after inspection

We carry out visual inspections both inside and outside the chimney without the need for scaffolding or climbing equipment. Inspections are faster and more efficient, reducing chimney downtime and allowing production to resume sooner rather than later.

All personnel remain on the ground when drones are used for inspection. When there's no more climbing, there's less to go wrong. Less risk means less paperwork, saving you time before and after the inspection.

Clear, concise reports

We use a high-resolution camera for our inspections, which allows us to stay away from the chimney so as not to cause any further damage - which is a real risk with a manned inspection. High-definition, detailed images are taken of any areas of irregularity on the stack - both inside and outside. These are then summarised in clear reports with a full listing of the data collected.

The entire chimney stack is inspected. We look for cracks, discolouration, and corrosion to the interior of the stack. The inside of a stack is most susceptible to corrosion, and requires a much different inspection to the outside. In tight spaces, we use a collision-avoiding drone to prevent damage to the chimney. There's no need to endanger people's lives by entering the stack. The inspection is done entirely by drone, and you can watch it live from the ground.

Less labour, less downtime

Inspecting the outside of a chimney stack requires less labour, materials, and downtime than traditional methods. Although our drone stays far back from the structure, we still capture high-quality and detailed images. We provide clear data of any damage to ducts, ventilation, and the structure itself, allowing you to make the right repair at the right time.

Damage isn't always found on chimneys. Often the inspection shows that everything is in order. In this case, it's not necessary to send a climber up the chimney to make repairs, meaning a drone is sufficient for the entire "maintenance" process.

Our Services Not just photos from the sky

Our drones (and our people) can offer a lot more than just HD images. Our team all come from specialist engineering backgrounds, and they use all the very latest drone technologies and capabilities to deliver expert analysis on all types of commercial, civil and industrial assets. If you need an engineer's expertise, next-generation drone technology and industry-leading deliverables, then you've come to the right place.

Drone Photography

Capture high-quality imagery of your assets from never before seen vantage points.

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Thermal Imaging

Detect abnormalities within your assets that are otherwise invisible to the naked eye.

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Photogrammetry

Capture a high-resolution, photorealistic 3D model of your terrain, accurate to the finest details.

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Internal Confined Spaces

Mitigate the risk factors of traditional confined space inspections, without compromising on quality.

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Detailed, actionable reports

Using state-of-the-art technology, we can find and highlight issues that are hard to find or even invisible to the naked eye. This saves further time in the repair or replacement of chimney components. Tradespeople and other personnel on-site can be directed to areas of concern with pinpoint accuracy and with all the information they need. These reports can also be shared digitally with anyone else that may need to examine them. For example, with stakeholders and insurance companies.

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