Xplorate has successfully completed the inspection of a 550km export pipeline under the largest beyond visual line of sight (BVLOS) approval in Australia.

In doing so, the Perth-based aerial intelligence firm believes it has delivered a “world-first”. Teams on the ground in Queensland successfully completed the pipeline inspection using RPAS (Remotely Piloted Aircraft System) technologies developed by SwissDrones (pictured above). 

The inspection was conducted for a commercial customer just months after Xplorate received Australia’s Civil Aviation Safety Authority (CASA) approval for it to operate over 500km BVLOS. The approval is one of the longest in the world, and is significant increase on the previous Australian approval of 330km. 

Founder and CEO Ronnie Fahy said: “The successful delivery of this project marks a new era for this industry and many others.

“For the first time, asset integrity can be approached proactively, meaning asset owners don’t have to wait for things to go wrong then suffer the domino effect of shutdowns, delays and diagnosis before addressing an issue. This has an incredible impact on everything from efficiency to financial performance. This is just the beginning. There is nothing globally scalable to the extent of our capabilities.”

The company delivered what it says is the most “sophisticated” data-set and insights of its kind to date. This is despite the project presenting challenges such as unpredictable terrain, complex technology needs and extreme demand on equipment requirements. 

Xplorate combines BVLOS operations, BVLOS aircraft and custom sensors and data intelligence capabilities to achieve results.

“A key factor that sets Xplorate apart is our proprietary sensor and data intelligence integration, which enhances the accuracy and reliability of the data collected during inspections. By utilising our custom-designed sensors, we can capture detailed and precise information that is critical for pipeline monitoring and maintenance,” Fahy added.

The long-term vision for the company is to remove crewed helicopters and aircraft from the skies wherever possible in an effort to above all reduce risk to life. 

“As Xplorate continues to expand its operations globally, we can provide higher standards of actionable data intelligence insights to our clients at a new level of sophistication and safety,” said Fahy. “Our approvals and technology allow for human risk to be removed while taking precise and critical measurements such as asset integrity reviews, leak detection, security breaches and methane reduction, for clients.”