Terra Drone opens Chile branch

Terra Drone Chile, a newly-founded group company of Japan-based Terra Drone Corporation, has successfully conducted visual inspection of flare stacks for Chile’s state-owned energy company ENAP Aconcagua. In this pilot project, three flare stacks – each about 70m tall – were inspected in 45 minutes using drones. This proved to be significantly cost-effective and faster than the conventional method of engaging the services of a professional photographer in a manned helicopter.

ENAP inspects its flare stacks once every three years but wants to conduct more frequent inspections to ensure optimum performance during operations. Terra Drone Chile was roped in for the project after the energy company discovered black smock steaming from some of the flares. With a planned maintenance activity coming up in a few weeks, ENAP wanted a clear understanding of the current condition of the area surrounding the top rings of the flare stacks.

Terra Drone Chile used a DJI M210 RTK drone mounted with 2 cameras – a Zenmuse Z30 (zoom camera) and a Zenmuse X5S (high resolution camera) – for this activity. The drone captured the images of the flares from different angles to facilitate an inspection report that would show each part’s status in terms of crack, deformity, and integrity.

Buoyed by the quick and comprehensive results, ENAP has decided to retain Terra Drone Chile’s services for the next maintenance cycle.