Storage tanks, silos, and pressure vessels need regular inspection, but conventional access carries a heavy operational burden. In a lot of cases, confined space entry permits, atmospheric monitoring and a standby rescue crew are mandatory before anyone can enter. The preparation alone can take days, and the asset is offline throughout.
A confined space drone inspection uses a cage-protected UAV which enters through the existing access hatch and inspects every internal surface under live pilot guidance. No human entry, no permits, no decommissioning or cleaning are required. External surfaces are covered simultaneously by an aerial drone equipped with high-resolution 4K and thermal imaging cameras, detecting corrosion, coating failure, wall thinning, and structural anomalies in a single mobilisation. The inspection is completed in hours, not days, and you receive a full annotated condition report tailored to your requirements, with the asset back in service with minimal downtime.
What is a confined space drone?
A confined space drone is a purpose-built UAV designed to fly inside enclosed structures where standard drones cannot operate. Standard drones rely on GPS to hold position; inside a tank, silo, or pressure vessel, there is no GPS signal. A confined space drone navigates from the pilot's live video feed instead, stabilising itself with onboard visual sensors.
The defining feature is a protective cage that surrounds the propellers. In an open drone, any contact with a wall causes an immediate crash. The cage absorbs those impacts, allowing the drone to bounce off surfaces and continue flying. Our confined space drone — the Flyability Elios — carries a 4K camera and is small enough to enter through a standard 50cm access hatch.
Find out more about our confined space drone inspectionsHow do confined space drone inspections work?
The drone enters through the existing access hatch and is flown manually by a qualified engineer watching a live high-definition feed from outside. The interior — walls, roof structure, floor, and penetrations — is covered systematically, with the full flight recorded as continuous video. For a typical steel tank, the interior inspection is completed in under two hours.
After the flight, the footage is reviewed and every finding — corrosion, coating failure, structural deformation, sediment build-up — is compiled into an annotated condition report. No human entry, no permits, and no decommissioning are required.
Find out more about our confined space drone inspectionsWhat is 3D modelling?
3D modelling — also called photogrammetry — uses overlapping photographs taken from different angles to reconstruct an asset as a measurable three-dimensional model you can inspect, measure, and annotate from your desk.
For tanks and silos, an aerial drone captures the external surfaces — roof, shell, fittings, and pipework — while a confined space drone can generate a 3D point cloud of the interior. The two can be combined into a single digital record, giving you a complete model of the structure without anyone entering it.
Learn more about our 3D mapping servicesWhat are orthophotos and orthomosaics?
An orthophoto is an aerial image that has been geometrically corrected so that every pixel represents a true top-down view, free from the perspective distortion of a regular photograph. Unlike a standard aerial photo, you can measure true distances on an orthophoto: the span of a tank roof, the area of a corroded section, the coordinates of a specific defect. When multiple orthophotos are stitched together to cover an entire asset or site, the result is an orthomosaic. These can be huge and incredibly detailed: a single orthomosaic of a multi-tank storage facility can be hundreds of megapixels in size, with every square metre of every tank surface visible and every anomaly located to within centimetres.
For a tank farm or storage facility, the orthomosaic can be a key deliverable. Every tank is accurately positioned, every defect is located by GPS coordinates, and the image can be loaded directly into CAD, GIS, or asset management software. It is the difference between “here is a photograph of your tanks” and “here is a measurable, georeferenced map of every asset on your site. You can zoom in to see every bolt.”
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.
The use of drone 3D modelling technologies gives you the opportunity to inspect a digital twin of a tank, silo or vessel from the comfort of your office. A detailed replica of the asset 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 employees, suppliers and other stakeholders at the click of a button.
Drones equipped with thermal imaging cameras allow you to accurately assess the condition of a tank, silo or vessel. Infrared photographs can be used to detect extreme temperature differences that can locate otherwise unseen issues, such as concealed moisture damage and heat leakage.
What does thermal imaging detect on tanks and silos?
A thermal camera detects temperature differentials across the surface of the asset. On a tank or silo, these differentials can reveal corrosion thinning the wall, coating failure, moisture trapped behind linings, and heat loss through damaged insulation — none of which would be visible to the naked eye or a standard camera.
More about our thermal imaging servicesCan thermal imaging see through tank walls?
No — this is a common misconception. Thermal imaging does not see through materials. It measures the rate at which different areas of the surface emit heat energy. A corroded or thinned section of a tank wall conducts heat differently from the surrounding steel, and that difference shows up at the surface as a detectable thermal anomaly. The camera captures the surface temperature pattern, not what is behind or beneath it.
More about our thermal imaging services
Using drone photography and orthomosaic technology allows us to perfectly reflect a geographic area. An orthomosaic map is a state-of-the-art measuring device for accurate readings of scale and distance. This provides a crystal-clear top-down view that has been corrected for geometric distortions — resulting in a pinpoint representation of the Earth's surface.
How accurate are orthomosaic measurements?
A properly georeferenced orthomosaic can locate a feature to within a few centimetres of its true real-world position. Ground control points (GCPs) are typically used to tie the model to known coordinates, giving survey-grade accuracy suitable for measuring tank diameters, weld seam positions, and the extent of coating defects.
When an orthomosaic is loaded into CAD or GIS software, you can click any two points and read the distance between them directly. This means you can measure a corroded patch on a tank roof, the displacement of a pipe support, or the area of a coating failure without returning to site with a tape measure.
Learn more about 3D mapping and orthomosaic deliverablesWhat can you measure on an orthomosaic of a tank or silo?
On a tank or silo orthomosaic, you can measure the diameter of the roof and shell, the location and dimensions of access hatches, flanges, and nozzles, and the extent of any visible surface defect. For a tank farm, the orthomosaic positions every tank relative to every other tank, with measurements accurate enough to feed directly into an asset register or maintenance planning system.
See 3D mapping and orthomosaic capabilities
No confined space entry permit, no atmospheric monitoring, no standby rescue crew. The drone enters through the existing access hatch, inspects every internal surface, and returns. Under Irish law (S.I. No. 218/2001), confined space entry must be avoided where reasonably practicable — drone inspection satisfies this duty directly.
No internal scaffolding erected inside the asset, no materials passed through narrow hatches, no access equipment of any kind. The drone flies the interior as it stands.
A confined space drone covers the interior while an aerial drone surveys the roof, shell, fittings, and pipework simultaneously — both surfaces documented in a single mobilisation.
Assets do not need to be taken offline, drained, cleaned, or purged before inspection. The drone works in the structure as it stands, with the asset remaining in service.
A thermal camera pass detects corrosion, coating failure, wall thinning, and insulation loss — defects invisible to the naked eye — while the 4K camera records every surface in high definition.
Every finding is GPS-tagged, classified by severity, and delivered as a professional condition report your maintenance team, insurer, or consulting engineer can act on directly.
Tanks and silos need regular inspections, usually every 5 to 10 years, but traditional methods involve ropes, cranes or scaffolding, which carry safety risks and potential for damage. With confined-space drones, we can inspect faster and safer, without entering the tank. You get the information you need with far less risk or downtime.
Tank maintenance comes with the usual issues — corrosion, weather damage, and wear — whether it's LNG, freshwater or oil storage. Using the latest technology, our drones can identify areas of thermal abnormalities and cold spots in a fraction of the time of traditional methods, without the labour and time-intensive need for cranes, rope or scaffolding. Our drones allow endless possibilities when it comes to angles and perspectives of your assets, all recorded in crystal clear high-definition.
Confined space work in Ireland is governed by the Safety, Health and Welfare at Work (Confined Spaces) Regulations 2001 (S.I. No. 218 of 2001). This framework states that confined space entry must be avoided where it is reasonably practicable to achieve the work purpose without it. That's where drones come into play. For tank, silo, and vessel inspections, a confined space drone satisfies this duty directly — nobody ever needs to enter the asset.
Does a drone inspection satisfy the legal requirements?
Yes — so long as the inspection can be completed to the required standard without human entry. A cage-protected confined space drone enters through the existing access hatch and captures high-resolution 4K video of every internal surface under live pilot guidance. The duty under Regulation 5 of S.I. No. 218/2001 is to avoid entry where reasonably practicable, and drone inspection is an established, recognised means of doing so for tanks, silos, pressure vessels, and similar enclosed assets.
More about confined space regulations in Ireland HSA Code of Practice for Working in Confined Spaces (PDF)What is required if confined space entry cannot be avoided?
Where entry is unavoidable, the regulations require prior hazard identification, a written risk assessment, and a documented safe system of work before anyone enters. The HSA’s Code of Practice for Working in Confined Spaces treats a formal permit-to-work as the standard control measure. Suitable rescue arrangements — including trained personnel and appropriate equipment — must also be in place before entry begins.
Learn about our approach to HSSE HSA Code of Practice for Working in Confined Spaces (PDF)Do ADR regulations apply to tank inspections?
For road tanks carrying dangerous goods, Irish ADR law (S.I. No. 349 of 2011) governs the periodic inspection and testing requirements for the tank itself. Where an ADR-required inspection involves internal confined space entry, the confined spaces regime under S.I. No. 218/2001 continues to apply to the entry activity.
Engineers with Drones do not carry out mandatory ADR inspections. There are currently four inspection bodies appointed by the HSA for the inspection of road tanks in Ireland. These are:
Fitzgerald Commercials Limited (Cork) TankSafe Solutions Limited (Dublin and UK) Tank Testing Services (IRL) Limited (Meath, Donegal & Antrim) Hartford Steam Boiler Ireland Limited (Dublin)Where can I find out more about confined space regulations in Ireland?
Human entry to confined spaces is carefully regulated within Ireland and internationally. Here are some of the key regulatory frameworks.
HSA Code of Practice for Working in Confined Spaces (PDF) S.I. No. 218/2001 — Safety, Health and Welfare At Work (Confined Spaces) Regulations, 2001 Health and Safety Authority (HSA) - Confined Spaces Guidance
Engineers With Drones carried out a detailed inspection of a large above-ground galvanised steel water tank used for fire suppression, using a confined space drone to access the interior.
Engineers With Drones used a confined space drone to inspect a large steel ethanol tank on a natural gas processing facility in Ireland — eliminating the need for scaffolding or personnel entry.
Complex surveys and inspections require more than just a pilot. Our engineers can help you scope your requirements and indentify the right approach.
