The pipeline, which spanned over a 1,500-meter section, was buried near agricultural land and surrounded by dense vegetation, making it a challenging area to inspect for potential leaks.
Pipeline leaks can lead to significant economic and environmental losses.
In the case of Vodovod d.o.o., the detection of a leak was critical to prevent mass water loss, energy waste, and environmental damage.
To tackle this problem, we decided to use an unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) equipped with a thermal imaging camera to capture video and radiometric photo material.
Thermal Imaging of Water Pipeline: Video and Radiometric Photo Material
Thermal imaging is an innovative technology that uses thermal energy to capture images of an object or environment.
In the case of Vodovod d.o.o., the thermal imaging camera mounted on the UAV captured video and radiometric photo material of the water pipeline.
The video and photo material were then overlaid for temperature measurement on each pixel at any time, allowing for the identification of potential leaks and specific points that required attention.
The temperature of the environment and soil was also recorded, providing a complete overview of the temperature distribution in the area.
This information helped the company to identify anomalies in the thermal footprint, which allowed the identification of potential leaks and specific points, which were geolocated on a map.
The detection of anomalies in the thermal footprint is crucial in determining the probability of leakage and specific points.
The radiometric photos are geolocated, and all potential leak locations are marked on a map, making it easy for technicians to find and address the leaks efficiently.
Complete pipeline sealing is crucial to prevent mass, energy, and environmental losses.
The use of thermal imaging technology is becoming increasingly popular in identifying and localizing defects in the insulation of water pipelines, steam pipelines, product pipelines, chemical work units, food industry, agriculture, power plants, and mines.
With the help of UAVs and thermal imaging cameras, technicians can quickly and efficiently locate potential leaks and prevent significant economic and environmental losses.
To learn more about how thermal imaging technology can be used in other industries, be sure to check out other drone projects with thermal cameras for reference.