SkyX Develops Long-Range Hybrid Drone for Oil and Gas Inspections

By Mike Ball / 11 Apr 2017
Follow UST

SkyX SkyOne drone

SkyX, a start-up based in Canada, has unveiled details of their new Unmanned Aerial Vehicles (UAVs) to service the oil and gas industry.

Developed to inspect pipelines for damage, as well as for mapping and security surveillance, SkyX’s SkyOne hybrid drones offer Vertical Take-Off and Landing (VTOL) capabilities, as well as Fixed-Wing forward flight. The system operates autonomously during flight and is capable of self-charging – landing and recharging on remote, autonomous stations. The SkyOne can travel at 150km per hour for 70 min and can detect leaks, vandalism, vegetation encroachment and more.

Offered on a service-leasing model, SkyOne allows oil and gas companies to access custom data and information without being burdened by maintenance costs. The company is able to control either an individual UAV or an entire fleet and can monitor events through real-time video.

The SkyOne drone is able to recharge itself in the field. Through proprietary technology, the drone doesn’t need to return to home base to recharge. Instead, it flies to the nearest available xStation, where it recharges in a weather-shielded dome before continuing its mission.

The oil and gas sector currently relies heavily on road vehicles and manned aircraft (i.e helicopters) to detect any damage or threat. Both methods are more expensive and less efficient than unmanned solutions, which can allow for 24/7, unlimited data collection provided in real-time. Pipeline leaks are a massive global concern and statistics suggest that globally, the market spends $37bn a year just in monitoring.

Didi Horn, SkyX Founder and CEO, said: “We have built not only a fantastic, game-changing product for the oil and gas industry, but have also built a fantastic team of experts ready to get it out there. The market is, obviously, of huge global importance. We know that our technology can significantly cut costs and improve efficiency – helping the sector as a whole, along with each and every customer. Our unique solution, which combines both VTOL flight and autonomous remote charging puts us well ahead of the competition. As a result, we are en route for significant expansion, offering an unprecedented opportunity for a strategic investment partner to help us conquer and secure significant market share in an ever-growing industry.”

Posted by Mike Ball Mike Ball is our resident technical editor here at Unmanned Systems Technology. Combining his passion for teaching, advanced engineering and all things unmanned, Mike keeps a watchful eye over everything related to the unmanned technical sector. With over 10 years’ experience in the unmanned field and a degree in engineering, Mike’s been heading up our technical team here for the last 8 years. Connect & Contact