Taking a Drone on an Oil Pipeline Inspection Test Drive

Adequately inspecting the 167,000-miles of pipelines that crisscross the nation carrying oil and refined petroleum products like gasoline and jet fuel is difficult, maybe impossible.

Although there are more than 100 significant spills a year, a federal agency requires companies to focus their inspections on only 44 percent of the land-based pipelines near towns, cities and environmentally sensitive areas, leaving thousands of miles rarely seen. But technology may provide a way to overcome this daunting problem.

Watch a demonstration of an Unmanned Aerial Vehicle (UAV) conducted by BP to improve pipeline inspections in Prudhoe Bay, Alaska. Equipped with high-resolution cameras, the Aeryon Scout drone can easily inspect miles of pipelines, helping crews watch for problems. The labor-saving, small rotor-wing aircraft is flown from a handheld tablet computer.

Where else could oil companies use drones?

Photos: Aeryon Scout drone, Aeryon Inc.