Drones are increasingly being used in statutory ship surveys and certification, and a leading class society believes they could dramatically cut the cost of inspections.
The technology is now being tested for steel thickness measurements and in surveys in confined spaces and underwater.
Demonstrating the technology at its Hamburg marine headquarters, officials of Norwegian classification society DNV GL said drones are routinely being used in internal cargo space inspections of bulkers and tankers, checking for corrosion and coatings damage.
