Posted: February 17th, 2022

Best Practices for Integrating Unmanned Marine Vehicles into Underwater Infrastructure Inspection Programs

Best Practices for Integrating Unmanned Marine Vehicles into Underwater Infrastructure Inspection Programs

Underwater infrastructure inspection is a vital task for ensuring the safety and integrity of structures, pipelines, cables, vessels and other assets that are submerged in water. However, traditional methods of inspection involving human divers or manned vessels can be costly, time-consuming, risky and sometimes impractical. Therefore, there is a growing interest in using unmanned marine vehicles (UMVs) to perform underwater inspection more efficiently, effectively and safely.

UMVs are vehicles that operate in or under water without direct human control. They can be classified into two main categories: unmanned surface vehicles (USVs) and unmanned underwater vehicles (UUVs). USVs are vehicles that float on the water surface and can be remotely controlled or autonomous. UUVs are vehicles that submerge in water and can be tethered (remotely operated vehicles, ROVs) or untethered (autonomous underwater vehicles, AUVs).

UMVs have several advantages over conventional methods of underwater inspection. They can:

– Access areas that are too remote, deep, hazardous or confined for divers or manned vessels
– Reduce the risk of accidents and injuries to human personnel
– Increase the speed, accuracy and coverage of data collection
– Reduce the operational costs and environmental impacts of inspection
– Enhance the quality and reliability of inspection data by using advanced sensors and algorithms

However, UMVs also pose some challenges and limitations for underwater inspection. They can:

– Require specialized equipment, skills and training to operate and maintain
– Face communication difficulties due to the attenuation of radio waves in water
– Encounter environmental disturbances such as waves, currents, turbidity and obstacles
– Depend on the availability of power sources and battery life
– Need to comply with legal and ethical regulations and standards

Therefore, it is important to follow some best practices for integrating UMVs into underwater infrastructure inspection programs. These best practices include:

– Selecting the appropriate type and configuration of UMV for the specific inspection task and environment
– Developing a clear inspection plan and protocol that defines the objectives, scope, methods, criteria and deliverables of the inspection
– Conducting a thorough risk assessment and mitigation strategy that considers the potential hazards and impacts of using UMVs on the infrastructure, environment and stakeholders
– Testing and calibrating the UMV and its sensors before deployment to ensure their functionality and accuracy
– Monitoring and controlling the UMV during operation to ensure its safety, performance and data quality
– Processing, analyzing and interpreting the data collected by the UMV to extract meaningful information and insights
– Reporting and documenting the results and findings of the inspection in a clear, concise and comprehensive manner

By following these best practices, UMVs can be effectively integrated into underwater infrastructure inspection programs and provide valuable benefits for asset owners, operators, managers and regulators.

References:

[1] Unmanned Systems Technology. (2023). Underwater Inspection | ROVs, Drones & USVs for Offshore Inspection. Retrieved from https://www.unmannedsystemstechnology.com/expo/underwater-inspection/

[2] Kim, Y., & Ryou, J. (2020). A Study of Sonar Image Stabilization of Unmanned Surface Vehicle Based on Motion Sensor for Inspection of Underwater Infrastructure. Remote Sensing, 12(21), 3481. https://doi.org/10.3390/rs12213481

[3] Voyis. (2021). Subsea Sensor Technologies for Automated Pipeline Inspection. Retrieved from https://www.unmannedsystemstechnology.com/2021/07/subsea-sensor-technologies-for-automated-pipeline-inspection/

[4] Unmanned Systems Technology. (2023). Research & Environmental Monitoring Drones. Retrieved from https://www.unmannedsystemstechnology.com/expo/environmental-monitoring-drones/

[5] Hovland E., & Sture U. (2020). The Road to Autonomy: Unmanned Subsea Asset Inspection. Hydro International, 24(5), 22-25.

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