Given the popularity of drones, the use of unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) is no surprise to many. One industry that has shown a keen interest in the application of drones is the industrial sector. From internal and external building inspections to surveying and mapping to inventory management, the industrial application of drones has considerably reduced the time associated with these tasks and therefore reduced labor costs. Given the hype surrounding the industrial application of drones, the question of safety has come under fire. For instance, when unmanned aerial vehicles are taken aboard a ship, it is impossible to know whether a drone’s navigation system has been compromised by the prevalence of WiFi networks (among other electronic networks) aboard ships. Time and motion studies have shown that drone inspections reduce inspection time by 20%. However, over time, a faster inspection time could translate into lapses of safety protocols. Thus, while drones have shown how they can be applied to various aspects of industry, the regulatory and safety concerns about the proliferation of drones in industrial applications have yet to emerge.
Shree Flameproof, a Michigan-based manufacturer and supplier of flameproof enclosures, understands that the cost of using drones to conduct periodic inspections carried out by engineers, plant management, and departmental analysts of flameproof areas would save time. For example, the use of drones to conduct inspections of flameproof enclosures that house electrical equipment could drastically limit the exposure of personnel to potentially life-threatening hazards posed by dust and gas. However, the question of whether or not the use of drones in flameproof areas is permissible under drone regulations in Michigan, is to date, a question that remains unanswered, even as the use of drones for industrial inspections is on the periphery of emerging UAV technologies.
Blade and battery operated drones are capable of precise and efficient flight to assist inspectors with difficult and dangerous inspections where building structures such as roofs, towers, bridges, and power lines would all be prime candidates for drone inspections (and more rookie friendly with respect to potential crashes). The round-shaped rotors of such drones, despite having something to do with the design and functioning of UAV, would also function to protect personnel from the blunt force trauma the rotors would cause if they were to inadvertently strike an individual during a crash landing. On the one hand, drones offer the same benefits drones provide to the oil and gas, construction, and utilities sectors. On the other hand, the use of drones poses serious safety and regulatory concerns. That said, a safe combination of drone technology and legislation is paramount to ensure compliance with Drone Laws in Michigan.
