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Combined thermal and RGB image of pharmaceutical plant pipe racks being inspected

Pharma plant pipe rack drone inspection

Inspecting pipe racks safely and efficiently.
Overview

The Job at a Glance

Drone-based inspection of pipe racks across a medium-sized pharmaceutical manufacturing plant using RGB and thermal cameras — structural defects, thermal anomalies, and insulation issues identified without MEWP access or personnel climbing on the racks.

Pharmaceutical manufacturing plant

Pipe racks across a medium-sized pharma site — SS pipes, cable trays, insulated lines, valves, and active process equipment.

Single day, restricted airspace

Inspection started early to complete all data capture before an airspace restriction came into effect from mid-afternoon.

DJI M300 RTK + Zenmuse H20T

Dual RGB and thermal payload — visible structural defects and invisible thermal anomalies identified in a single pass.

Video and imagery deliverables

High-resolution inspection video as the primary deliverable, with detailed still photography of all identified defects.

Comparative methodology

Why they chose us

At this pharmaceutical plant, the traditional MEWP couldn't reach all the pipe racks — and climbing on them caused insulation damage. A drone delivered complete thermal and RGB coverage without physical contact, within a single working day.

Rack coverage
All racks vs MEWP-accessible only

The drone flew above the full extent of each pipe rack regardless of how condensed the surrounding infrastructure was.

Insulation damage
None vs expected when climbing

No personnel climbed on the racks at any point, removing the insulation damage that is a routine consequence of traditional access.

Detection capability
Thermal + RGB vs visual only

The Zenmuse H20T identified both visible structural defects and invisible thermal anomalies — leaks of hot gas detectable in real time.

Efficient option Our method

Using a drone

This is what the job looked like using drone technology.

  • Complete coverage of all pipe racks The drone flew above every rack on the site — the condensed infrastructure that restricted MEWP access had no impact on aerial coverage.
  • No insulation damage No personnel climbed on the pipe racks at any point during the inspection, eliminating the insulation damage caused by traditional access methods.
  • Thermal and RGB captured in a single pass The Zenmuse H20T dual-camera payload captured both visual and thermal data simultaneously — visible defects and invisible hot-gas leaks identified in one flight.
  • No working-at-height risk The drone operator remained on the ground throughout. No working-at-height permits, no fall arrest equipment, no exposure to process gases at elevation.
  • Completed within the airspace window All data capture was finished before the mid-afternoon airspace restriction came into effect, with all imagery verified on site before transfer.
Project status Complete and verified
Manned approach Traditional method

Without a drone

What the job would have looked like without drone technology.

  • MEWP could only reach some pipes The condensed nature of the infrastructure meant a MEWP could access only a limited number of the pipe racks across the site.
  • Climbing on racks was the only alternative Reaching upper surfaces beyond MEWP access required personnel to climb directly on the pipe infrastructure where permissible.
  • Insulation damage during access Climbing on lagged pipes caused damage to pipe insulation as a routine and expected consequence of traditional inspection access.
  • Thermal anomalies invisible Visual-only inspection cannot detect subsurface heat or cold-gas leaks — thermal anomalies would go unidentified until a problem became visible or tangible.
Operational impact Coverage gaps & insulation risk
Overview

The challenges of pharma plant inspections

Pharmaceutical manufacturing facilities adhere to strict quality, safety, and regulatory standards. Among the critical components within these facilities are pipe racks, which transport a range of fluids integral to drug production. Regular inspection and maintenance of these pipe racks are imperative to prevent leaks, contamination, and costly production downtime. Traditional inspection methods are often labour-intensive, time-consuming, and pose safety risks to personnel. This case study demonstrates how drones can augment pipe rack inspections thereby enhancing safety, efficiency, and cost-effectiveness.

The challenge

Inspect pipe rack infrastructure across a pharmaceutical plant

The client needed to inspect the upper surfaces of various pipe racks distributed across a medium sized pharmaceutical plant. The traditional method of performing this work was to use a MEWP. Due to the condensed nature of the pipes and infrastructure at this particular site using an MEWP would only allow a limited number of pipes to be inspected. The only traditional way around this was to climb on the pipe racks themselves where permissible. The issue with this is it resulted in damage to pipe insulation and of course there is also a significant increase in the risk involved. For this reason the client asked us to see if we could perform the same level of inspection using a drone.

Stainless steel and steel pipe and electrical power and signal cable racks as seen during an inspection
Stainless steel pipes, steel pipes and electrical power and signal cable racks as seen during the inspection
Planning

Identify structural issues, leaks and anomalies

The first step with this work is to define a clear objective: The inspection aims to identify any structural issues, leaks, or anomalies in the pipe rack system to ensure the plant's integrity and regulatory compliance. This is to be done in a safe and efficient manner.

The next step in any successful inspection job is planning. For this job we started by reviewing the Inspection Scope: Our aim was to Understand the scope of the inspection by focusing on specific areas of concern or points of interest within the pipe rack system. This along with an overall data capture plan ensured we got the maximum level of coverage and detail required to complete the inspection.

After that we reviewed the relevant regulations and permits. We had to ensure we were compliant with local aviation regulations and obtain any required permits for flying a drone in the area. As it happened on this particular day there was a significant airspace restriction in place from mid afternoon onwards. This meant we had to start the work as early as possible to ensure completion before the airspace restriction came into effect.

Finally closer to the planned date we monitored weather conditions to determine if they are suitable for the drone inspection. We wished to avoid conducting inspections during adverse weather, such as high winds or heavy rain.

Small and medium diameter pipes on a pipe rack
Small and medium diameter pipes on a pipe rack along with cable trays full of cables.
Equipment

Thermography and high optical zoom capabilities

There were two major considerations when selecting a drone for this work. The first was the requirement for a drone with a high optical zoom lens camera. This allows the operator to well above the pipe racks while at the same time getting excellent detailed imagery of any potential defects. The other important capability that was needed was a thermal camera. This capability allows the operator to "see" otherwise invisible leaks of hot and cold fluid and and gasses from pipes. For this job we selected to use the DJI M300 with the Zenmuse H20T payload. This payload features a thermographic camera which allowed us to "see" the hot gasses in real time and so keep the drone at a safe distance from them.

Electrical cables and pipes in a pharmaceutical plant
An example of a defect we found: note the stainless steel u-bolt resting on the electrical cables.
Safety

Controlled Ground

For this work we established a no-fly zones and safety zones to prevent unauthorised access and ensure the safety of personnel on the ground. IN the language of the drone legislation this area is called "controlled ground" and is defined as "the ground area where the UAS is operated and within which the UAS operator can ensure that only involved persons are present".

When operating certain types of drones it is important to establish a controlled ground area. Not only is this required by law but it also significantly increases safety and reduced risk.

Stainless steel pipes with flange joints in a pharma plant
Stainless steel pipes with flange joints, typical of what is seen in a pharma plant
Capture plan

The data capture plan

The following is typical of the inspection plan for inspecting a pipe racks using a drone:

Start point

The start point of the inspection is established based on a number of considerations including lighting, wind direction, infrastructure orientation, target assets and more.

End point

The end point of the inspection is usually the end of the pipe rack. If this is not a suitable endpoint the a clear logical endpoint should be decided upon so that the operator can maintain orientation as to how much of the pipe rack is completed.

Altitude

The drone will fly at a nominal altitude of 10-15 meters above the pipe rack. This allows enough altitude to clear obstacles but at the same time get sufficient detail of the pipework.

Speed

Since a lot of the inspection deliverables will take the form of video it is important that the speed of the drone is kept low. For this reason the drone will fly at a maximum speed of 5 meters per second.

Obstacles check

Prior to each flight run the drone operator shall conduct a visual check to ensure there are no obstacles along the intended flight path. This shall be done from the ground and also using the drone camera (with gimbal set to 0 degrees).

Data collection

The drone will capture high-resolution images and videos of the pipe rack. The drone pilot will also use a thermal imaging camera to identify any areas of hot spots, which may indicate potential problems. The primary deliverable shall be high resolution video. Any defects shall also be photographed in detail from multiple angles to ensure full coverage of the defect.

Large pipe rack with multiple fluid and gas pipes
It is important to always maintain orientation when dealing with large pipe racks with multiple fluid and gas pipes

Items to be inspected:

Below is a list of items we typically see when inspecting a pipe rack.

Large and small pipes including insulated pipes
One of the key elements to be inspected was the insulation / lagging on the pipes.

Types of defects

Below is a list of the types of defect that can be detected when conducting an inspection of a pipe rack using a drone.

Combined thermal and RGB image of insulated pipes
When looking at thermal imagery it helps to have a side-by-side RGB image to see maintain orientation. It also helps a lot to understand the difference between emitted versus reflected heat. Especially on a sunny day.
Outcome

Conclusion

The drone inspection provided complete coverage of the pipe rack systems without requiring MEWP access or personnel climbing on the infrastructure. The client received comprehensive 4K thermal and RGB video footage along with 20-megapixel defect imagery, identifying specific maintenance requirements while eliminating the risk of insulation damage and working-at-height hazards. The inspection was completed within the available airspace window and met all regulatory compliance requirements.

Deliverables

For this job the following deliverables were requested and generated for the client.

High-resolution video

4K footage covering all aspects of each pipe rack, including both standard RGB and side-by-side RGB+thermal footage of key areas.

Defect and overview imagery

20-megapixel images of all detected defects, plus high-resolution stills of key areas to aid orientation and reporting.

Pipes and electrical cable trays with debris present
The fully range of infrastructure to be inspected; stainless steel, steel, welded joints, flange joints, valves and of course insulated pipes.
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Next steps

Where to find out more

You can find out more about our pipe rack and pipeline inspections or our energy sector inspections. Alternatively, you can contact us here to ask what we can do for you.

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