Issue link: https://geospatial.trimble.com/en/resources/i/1415432
Spring 2019 31 3 S torage tanks are subject to many challenging conditions, from adverse weather to the containment of materials such as oil, chemicals or wastewater, all of which can cause a tank to become quickly corroded and not perform to its requirements. This means that regular inspection is needed, and even more frequently as a tank ages. Implementing a rigorous inspection and maintenance programme means that any problem areas can be identifi ed, closely monitored and addressed at the appropriate time before failure occurs. This is particularly important because failure of the tank can result in many problems, such as loss of containment, environmental contamination and safety risks to personnel, as well as a serious knock-on effect to other assets. Good tank management is critical not only to avoid these problems, but to maximise the life of the tank and avoid the cost implications associated with downtime. Tank and terminal owners must ensure that their assets are inspected to (and comply with) specifi c industry standards. Typically, this is done using techniques such as rope access, scaffolding/staging or elevated work platforms. While these solutions have been developed and become more sophisticated over the years, fundamental safety concerns still exist around working at Phil Buchan, Cyberhawk, UK, overviews the growth of drone-based inspection methods for tank and terminal operators.