Working closely with many industry leaders over the past few years, Infrared Cameras Inc. (ICI) has created a line of multisensor payloads specifically designed for the unmanned aerial inspection market. ICI has developed many sensors across several key regions of the electromagnetic spectrum, including ultraviolet, visible, near-infrared, short-wave infrared, mid-wave infrared and long-wave infrared. By combining two or more sensors, we can quickly collect the data necessary to ensure the safe and efficient operation of industry assets while meeting or exceeding regulatory requirements.
One payload, designed for aboveground oil and gas assets, is the ICI OGI Inspector Plus. It pairs the Mirage HC optical gas imaging (OGI) camera, used in locating hydrocarbon-based fugitive emissions, with the Sony R10C high-res camera, which provides asset identification and visual inspection capability. An additional tunable diode laser absorption spectrometer (TDLAS), tuned specifically to the spectral absorption of methane, can be bundled with the package, delivering methane identification and concentration data in real time. The combination of the OGI and TDLAS increases efficiency in locating even the smallest of leaks, saving time and money. This complete package is a game-changer for the oil and gas industry as companies learn to comply with the EPA's OOOOa ("Quad Oa") inspection requirements for upstream assets. It also allows for unique inspection techniques to be developed for difficult-to-reach downstream assets. As the EPA begins to allow optical gas imaging instead of sniffer-based LDAR programs, thanks to proposed changes to the Method 21 Alternative Work Practice (AWP), this package will provide cost and time savings for the inspection of difficult-to-reach components that typically require scaffolding or rope access crews.
Another payload, specifically designed for midstream assets, is the ICI Methane Mapper Plus. It pairs the TDLAS with the Sony R10C high-res visible camera. Collecting concentration data above buried gas pipelines gives clear indications of where underground leaks may be occurring. The data set from the TDLAS is instantly viewable as a KML (keyhole markup language) file and can be color-coded based on threshold levels for easy analysis. The visible camera provides the end customer with an up-to-date visible ortho-mosaic of the right of way. A specialized, polarized, long-wave infrared (LWIR) camera can be included to differentiate ponding of produced water from naturally occurring rain or runoff water.
A seamless integration with DJI industrial multirotor UAVs makes these packages the most versatile payloads on the market. Thanks to ICI's patented remote interface, the pilot and sensor operator have easy access to all of the sensor's functions as well as a real-time video feed. All collected data is automatically georeferenced and stored locally on the UAV via the ICI Sensor Control Module (SCM). Post-flight, import the data into ICI's award-winning software, IR Flash Pro, to perform analysis, add annotations and quickly build your deliverable.
For more information, visit www.infraredcameras.com, or contact Gary Strahan at (409) 861-0788 or info@infraredcameras.com.
