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Over the past few years, inspectors in the pharmaceutical industry have increasingly discovered the advantages of using indoor drones to gather visual data. These compact and agile devices are specifically designed to operate in tight, enclosed spaces, making them perfect for internal inspections of critical infrastructure.
Here are some of the key assets that inspectors use indoor drones to examine:
- Storage tanks
- Pipe racks
- Cables
- Conduits
- Pressure vessels
- Additional structures requiring regular internal checks
Traditionally, inspecting these areas required personnel to enter the assets manually, often with a flashlight and camera. For larger or more complex structures, scaffolding or rope access was necessary, which introduced significant risks. These activities can be dangerous, leading to injuries or even fatalities on site.
Indoor drones eliminate the need for physical entry, allowing inspectors to collect data remotely. This not only improves safety but also reduces costs and time spent on inspections.
Here are the seven major benefits of using indoor drones for pharmaceutical inspections:
**1. Safety**
By avoiding confined space entry and work at height, drones significantly reduce the risk to inspectors. Instead of entering hazardous environments, they can control the drone from a safe location, ensuring their well-being during the inspection process.
**2. Cost Savings**
A case study from a major pharmaceutical plant showed that using an indoor drone saved 60,000 Euros in one round of tank inspections. Drones are faster and more efficient, reducing downtime and allowing equipment to return to service quicker. Many companies report cost reductions of up to 95% by switching from manual inspections to drone-based methods. Additionally, eliminating the need for scaffolding saves thousands of dollars in setup and removal.
**3. Reduced Downtime**
Setting up and dismantling scaffolding can take days or even weeks, causing lengthy asset outages. With drones, inspections can be completed much faster, minimizing production delays and improving operational efficiency.
**4. High-Quality Visual Data**
Modern indoor drones like Flyability’s Elios 2 offer 4K video and high-resolution images, along with stabilization and advanced lighting features. This allows inspectors to capture detailed visuals of even the smallest imperfections. In one instance, a pharmaceutical plant used the Elios 2 to perform a riboflavin test, capturing clear images of internal cleanliness without the need for manual entry.
**5. Easy Access**
Drones are built to navigate tight spaces, thanks to their protective cages and collision-tolerant design. They can maneuver close to surfaces, providing a clear view of potential defects without risking damage to the drone or the asset.
**6. Increased Inspection Frequency**
With drones, quick spot checks become possible, enabling more frequent monitoring of critical assets. This leads to better maintenance planning and helps prevent unexpected failures, reducing both scheduled and unscheduled downtime.
**7. Data Localization**
Flyability’s Inspector 3.0 software allows inspectors to mark and track defects found during drone inspections. This makes it easier to revisit issues in future checks or share findings with other teams involved in maintenance and operations.
Using indoor drones in the pharmaceutical industry is not just a trend—it's a game-changer that enhances safety, efficiency, and accuracy while cutting costs and time. As technology continues to evolve, the role of drones in industrial inspections will only grow.