Bentley Systems CEO Greg Bentley recently announced the acquisition of Acute 3D while at the ARC Advisory Group’s Industry Forum. Greg shared his insights on how Acute 3D software can dramatically enhance productivity, turning a simple series of digital photos taken with a smart camera (mounted on a drone) into a 3D reality mesh model.

Drones can be used to capture existing conditions, which are then compared to the design basis – a powerful new tool for asset managers.

The result is a compact, intelligent representation of the asset in its current operating context. Mr. Bentley confidently predicted there will be a drone in every major infrastructure maintenance organization by 2016. Using unmanned aerial vehicles (UAV) and normal digital photography, inspectors can observe existing conditions, then track and trend the condition over time with the ability to compare to the design basis or any point in its life. In fact, there are a growing number of uses of drones in industrial maintenance, reliability and integrity inspections.

Creating 3D Plant and Asset Drawings

Many existing plants have no information model, no accurate records, possibly some unreliable or outdated 2D drawings. If you are operating in an existing plant with poor engineering records, you can now capture a precise 3D model using your simple digital photographs taken from unmanned aerial vehicles using software like Acute 3D to render an information model that you can maintain going forward – reality modelling.

You can then take updated photos to observe current state and compare them to the model as time goes on. To model a given plant or asset, the image acquisition process requires a minimum of three sharp overlapping photographs. Anyone following this rule will be able to capture suitable imagery datasets, whether using a smartphone, compact DSLR, or a high-resolution professional camera like those used for airborne acquisition.

Once these 3D models are created, they can be used to improve the construction of new facilities as well as in ongoing operations. Recurring 3D reconstruction will support inspection processes, and will allow engineers and designers to work on a 3D model that is always up to date for their enhancement or maintenance plans.

Turn a simple series of digital photos taken with a smart camera (mounted on a drone) into a 3D model of an asset or plant.

Conducting Inspections in Out of Reach Areas

From structural integrity issues on bridges and roads, to wind turbine blades, rig inspections, pipeline monitoring for wall thickness, welds, corrosion and other structural integrity issues, unmanned aerial vehicles with mounted cameras are helping maintenance to more easily and cost-effectively observe these out-of-reach conditions.

Bridge and road inspections, especially as regulatory guidelines move towards reliability-based inspection practices, will require flexibility as the frequency of inspections changes based on operating context. Water and power utilities are benefiting from unmanned drones using high definition sonar to conduct subsea inspections. All in all, the use of drones can make what used to be a difficult and costly task, easier and more cost effective.

Drones and reality modelling can and should be a part of every maintenance organization and every proactive maintenance workflow to dramatically enhance productivity and safety in infrastructure asset inspections.