Case studies

By plane, pilots fly over the entire pipeline for thousands of kilometres, taking photos with their cell phones and reporting to the control center in the event of an emergency. Once back on the ground, they complete a report based on their observations, which is then processed. It’s a task that requires rigorous concentration and precision, as errors and omissions can have devastating consequences.

Flyscan's goal was to offer these companies a way to automate and enhance the aerial inspection task, allowing pilots to focus on flying and helping to prevent potential problems.

Of course, the technical challenge of such a project was substantial, as pipelines are massive, complex infrastructures, and inspections must be conducted from the air at an altitude of just 150 meters, which places even greater pressure on pilots to stay alert.

Flyscan therefore called on Vooban to design a mobile app that allows pilots to receive a real-time alert when a threat is near a pipeline.

Using cameras mounted on the aircraft, the system can now identify dangers and issues related to the pipeline while ignoring irrelevant elements. Thanks to an object detection model, a real-time alert is sent to the pilot's iPad, allowing them to verify and either confirm or dismiss the threat. All detections are recorded with the date, time, GPS location, and an image of the detection, and are included in the mission report.

Like a flying laboratory, all the necessary equipment is installed directly in the aircraft: computers, power systems, iPads, sensors, GPS, laser rangefinders, and state-of-the-art cameras, including a hyperspectral camera capable of detecting gas leaks invisible to the naked eye. These components communicate with each other, sending dozens of messages per second (coordinates, altitude, object angle and position on the ground, etc.), which are simultaneously processed by our application, enabling real-time threat analysis and providing guidance to the pilot.

In terms of design, the application is tailored to the many specificities and constraints of piloting an aircraft. Since environmental and weather conditions constantly change, the application's colors must be precise and easily visible to pilots, regardless of the outdoor conditions. The buttons and controls must also be large, with clear and accessible visual indicators, as the aircraft tends to shake significantly.

For pipeline companies, this represents a major advantage that will greatly reduce maintenance costs, minimize the risk of accidents, and avoid environmental disasters linked to oil or natural gas leaks.