Drone Tank & Vessel Inspection Services
Vertex Air provides specialist internal inspection services for storage tanks, pressure vessels, silos, and industrial vessels across the UK. Deploying the Flyability Elios 3 with tether capability, LiDAR survey payload, and ultrasonic testing sensors, our survey teams deliver comprehensive condition and geometric data from within enclosed assets, without confined space entry, without production shutdown, and without the operational risk and cost associated with conventional internal inspection methods.
The Limitations of Conventional Tank Inspection
Internal inspection of storage tanks and industrial vessels has traditionally required extensive preparation before a single observation can be made. Cleaning and degassing, forced ventilation, atmospheric testing, permit to work systems, standby rescue teams, and breathing apparatus, all before an inspector enters the asset. For operational plant, this process typically means taking the asset out of service for a period measured in days, with associated impact on production, throughput, and revenue.
For assets containing or previously containing hazardous substances including hydrocarbons, chemicals, biological matter, or explosive atmospheres, the risk to personnel during entry is significant regardless of how thoroughly the pre-entry process is followed.
Drone inspection removes the requirement for human entry during the initial survey phase entirely. The Elios 3 is deployed from outside the asset through an existing access point, capturing visual, LiDAR, thermal, and ultrasonic data from the full internal extent of the vessel delivering a complete condition dataset that informs maintenance decisions, asset management programmes, and insurance assessments without exposing personnel to the internal environment.
Our Tank Inspection Capability
Vertex Air's tank and vessel inspection service combines multiple survey technologies in a single mobilisation, tailored to the specific requirements of the asset and the client's data needs.
4K visual inspection High resolution 4K imagery captured across a 180° field of view under 16,000 lumen LED illumination, providing detailed condition data from all internal surfaces, floor plates, shell walls, roof structures, internal steelwork, nozzles, and fittings regardless of available light within the asset.
LiDAR mapping and dimensional survey The Elios 3 LiDAR survey payload captures dense three dimensional point cloud data of the tank's internal geometry using SLAM technology, producing accurate dimensional records suitable for structural assessment, as-built documentation, CAD integration, and volumetric calculation. Particularly valuable for assets where original drawings are unavailable or where deformation is suspected.
Tether supported operations For deep vertical assets where battery life would otherwise limit survey endurance, Vertex Air deploys the Elios 3 tether system providing continuous power supply throughout the inspection and an additional layer of operational safety. Vertex Air is currently the only onshore UK operator with this capability, allowing complete and uninterrupted internal surveys of deep storage tanks and silos where conventional drone operations would be constrained by flight time.
Ultrasonic testing Where wall thickness measurement and corrosion assessment are required, Vertex Air deploys an ultrasonic testing payload alongside the Elios 3. This allows shell wall thickness to be measured and corrosion mapped from within the tank without entry, providing engineering-grade data for structural integrity assessment, fitness for service evaluation, and maintenance planning.
Thermal imaging Radiometric thermal cameras identify heat anomalies, moisture ingress, insulation defects, and hidden structural issues within the internal environment, providing an additional layer of condition data from the same mobilisation.
Gas monitoring Continuous atmospheric monitoring for up to 14 explosive and toxic compounds including LEL and H2S throughout the survey, providing a complete atmospheric record for the asset and informing any subsequent decisions regarding physical access.
Ultrasonic Testing Without Entry
For assets where material condition is as important as visual condition tanks and vessels subject to corrosion, erosion, or material degradation ultrasonic testing provides a non-destructive method of measuring wall thickness and mapping corrosion without requiring physical access to the internal surface.
Deployed alongside the Elios 3, the ultrasonic testing payload allows our survey teams to map wall thickness across the shell of a tank or vessel from a single external access point. This data is reported by qualified inspection personnel, providing engineering grade thickness measurements and corrosion mapping as part of a complete condition assessment.
This capability is particularly relevant for assets in the following situations: tanks approaching the end of their design life where fitness for service assessment is required; vessels with known or suspected corrosion where the extent needs to be quantified before maintenance decisions are made; and assets in regulated industries where documented thickness data is required for compliance or insurance purposes.
The Tether Advantage
Conventional confined space drone operations in deep vertical assets are constrained by battery life. A standard Elios 3 flight time of approximately ten minutes is sufficient for smaller vessels but falls short of what is required for a comprehensive survey of a large storage tank or deep silo, particularly where LiDAR mapping, ultrasonic testing, and visual inspection are all being conducted in the same deployment.
The Elios 3 tether system resolves this by providing continuous power from outside the asset, removing the battery limitation entirely for applicable asset types. For clients in the water, energy, industrial, and food processing sectors where large vertical vessels are common, this means a complete and uninterrupted internal survey delivered in a single deployment without the need to repeatedly withdraw and relaunch the drone to change batteries, and without any compromise to survey coverage.
The tether also provides an additional physical safety layer in critical environments, allowing the operator to maintain a positive connection to the drone throughout the survey and retrieve it reliably from deep within the asset.
Vertex Air is currently the only onshore UK operator with this capability.
Tank and Vessel Types We Survey
Vertex Air's drone inspection service is applicable across a wide range of enclosed assets. Our survey teams carry experience across all of the following and understand the specific operational and data requirements each asset type presents.
Bulk liquid storage tanks Above-ground and below-ground storage tanks for water, fuel, chemicals, and other liquids, including floating roof tanks, fixed roof tanks, and cone roof vessels. Visual condition, LiDAR mapping, and ultrasonic thickness survey available.
Water storage and treatment assets Clean water reservoirs, service reservoirs, water towers, and treatment tanks for water utility and local authority clients. Tether-supported operations available for deep vertical assets.
Pressure vessels and process equipment Industrial pressure vessels, heat exchangers, reaction vessels, and process tanks in manufacturing, chemical, and energy sector facilities. Ultrasonic testing particularly relevant for wall thickness compliance.
Silos and hoppers Grain silos, cement silos, powder storage hoppers, and similar vertical storage assets. Tether capability allows complete survey of deep silo structures from a single top access point.
Anaerobic digestion tanks Internal inspection of AD tanks and digesters in the waste management and renewable energy sectors, including assets containing or previously containing biological matter and associated atmospheric hazards.
Industrial and process vessels Mixing vessels, holding tanks, separator vessels, and other enclosed process equipment in food processing, pharmaceutical, and industrial manufacturing facilities.
Underground storage tanks Below-ground fuel and liquid storage tanks where internal access is restricted to a single top entry point, tether capability is directly applicable for complete internal coverage.
Who Instructs Tank Surveys
Vertex Air's tank and vessel inspection services are engaged across a range of sectors and professional disciplines.
Water utilities and authorities — internal condition surveys of service reservoirs, clean water tanks, and water treatment assets as part of planned maintenance programmes or reactive investigation following reported defects or contamination concerns.
Energy and power generation companies — inspection of fuel storage, process vessels, and associated infrastructure at operational and decommissioned plant, including assets where atmospheric hazards make human entry high risk.
Industrial and manufacturing operators — rapid internal inspection of production vessels, storage tanks, and process equipment without production shutdown, providing condition data to support maintenance scheduling and asset life extension decisions.
Food and drink producers — internal condition surveys of holding tanks, mixing vessels, and storage silos where hygiene standards and production continuity make conventional confined space entry particularly disruptive.
Waste management and renewable energy operators — inspection of anaerobic digestion tanks, biogas vessels, and associated infrastructure where biological matter and explosive atmospheric conditions present significant entry risk.
Insurance assessors and loss adjusters — condition assessment of tanks and vessels following incidents, for insurance valuation purposes, or as part of ongoing asset condition monitoring programmes.
Asset managers and facilities managers — planned inspection programmes for tank portfolios, providing consistent, documented condition records to support maintenance budgeting and capital planning.
Engineering consultants and inspection companies — specialist sub-contract capability for practices requiring drone-based internal tank inspection and LiDAR or ultrasonic survey as part of a wider condition assessment commission.
Operational Approach
Every tank inspection begins with a desktop review of available information, existing drawings, previous inspection records, known dimensions, access arrangements, and any atmospheric or process hazards associated with the asset. This informs the survey plan, equipment selection, and risk assessment before mobilisation.
On site, a point of work assessment is carried out before deployment. For assets requiring atmospheric pre-assessment, our gas monitoring capability provides real-time data from the drone before and throughout the survey. The Elios 3 is deployed from outside the asset through an existing access hatch or nozzle, with the pilot operating from a safe position throughout.
For tether-supported deployments, the tether system is rigged at the access point prior to launch, with the reel managed by a second operative throughout the survey to ensure continuous power and a positive connection to the drone.
Following survey, all data is processed by our survey specialists, with completed reports and deliverables typically returned within five to ten working days of the site visit. For urgent requirements, expedited turnaround can be discussed at project scoping stage.