Drone Mapping & LiDAR for Oil & Gas Infrastructure

Oil and gas infrastructure demands precision, safety, and compliance. Aeroyantra delivers survey-grade drone mapping and LiDAR for oil and gas facilities - pipeline corridor surveys, facility inspection, tank volume measurement, and compliance documentation - giving operators the spatial data they need while keeping personnel out of hazardous areas.

---

Oil & Gas Infrastructure Inspection Exposes Personnel to Unnecessary Risk

Traditional inspection methods for oil and gas facilities require personnel to access elevated structures, confined spaces, and hazardous areas. Drone-based inspection eliminates personnel exposure while delivering higher-quality data than ground-level inspection can provide.

The pattern repeats across oil and gas operations:

• Tank inspection requires confined space entry - Internal and external tank inspection exposes personnel to fall hazards and confined space risks

• Pipeline corridor inspection is slow and incomplete - Ground-based pipeline inspection covers limited distances and misses encroachment and right-of-way violations

• Flare stack and elevated structure inspection requires rope access - Inspection of flare stacks, chimneys, and elevated equipment requires specialized access that is slow, expensive, and hazardous

• Facility as-built documentation is incomplete - As-built records assembled from ground-level measurements do not capture above-ground piping, cable trays, and elevated equipment

• Compliance documentation is assembled reactively - Regulatory submissions for PNGRB, OISD, and petroleum safety authorities are built from incomplete field records

---

Survey-Grade Aerial Data for Oil & Gas Operations

Aeroyantra delivers drone mapping and LiDAR workflows purpose-built for oil and gas facilities - where safety, accuracy, and compliance documentation are non-negotiable.

With RTK, PPK, and GCP-supported workflows, Aeroyantra achieves 2-3 cm horizontal accuracy and vertical precision suitable for facility inspection, pipeline surveys, and compliance documentation.

What that means for oil and gas operations:

• Personnel safety preserved - All inspection data collected from drone altitude - no personnel access to elevated structures or confined spaces required

• Complete facility coverage - Aerial data captures above-ground piping, cable trays, and elevated equipment that ground inspection cannot access

• Pipeline corridor monitoring - Multi-kilometer pipeline corridor surveys for encroachment detection and right-of-way monitoring

• Tank volume measurement - Accurate tank volume calculation from aerial surface models

• Compliance-ready documentation - Georeferenced, time-stamped records suitable for PNGRB, OISD, and regulatory submissions

• Thermal inspection capability - Thermal imaging for equipment hot spot detection and insulation assessment

---

Pipeline Corridor Surveys and Right-of-Way Monitoring

Monitor Multi-Kilometer Pipeline Corridors Without Ground Access

Pipeline corridor inspection and right-of-way monitoring require consistent coverage across multi-kilometer distances. Aerial surveys provide complete corridor coverage for encroachment detection, vegetation management, and compliance documentation.

What Aeroyantra delivers for pipeline corridors:

• Corridor orthomosaic - High-resolution aerial imagery covering the full pipeline corridor for visual inspection

• Encroachment detection - Identification of unauthorized construction, excavation, and land use changes within the right-of-way

• Vegetation management planning - Mapping of vegetation encroachment for clearing and maintenance planning

• Terrain and drainage monitoring - Identification of erosion, drainage changes, and terrain instability affecting pipeline integrity

• Marker and signage verification - Verification of pipeline markers and warning signage along the corridor

• Third-party activity monitoring - Detection of construction, excavation, and development activity near the pipeline

---

Facility Inspection and Asset Documentation

Complete Aerial Record of Above-Ground Infrastructure

Oil and gas facilities - refineries, terminals, processing plants, and pump stations - contain complex above-ground infrastructure that is difficult to document from ground level. Aerial inspection provides complete facility coverage.

What Aeroyantra delivers for facility inspection:

• 3D facility model - Photogrammetric or LiDAR-derived 3D model of the facility for maintenance planning and expansion design

• Above-ground piping documentation - Aerial mapping of pipe racks, process piping, and utility lines

• Tank and vessel inspection - External inspection of storage tanks, pressure vessels, and process equipment

• Flare stack and chimney inspection - High-resolution imagery of flare stacks, chimneys, and elevated structures without rope access

• Cable tray and electrical infrastructure - Mapping of cable trays, electrical equipment, and control systems

• Facility as-built documentation - Complete aerial record for operations, maintenance, and future expansion planning

---

Tank Volume Measurement and Inventory Verification

Accurate Tank Volume Without Confined Space Entry

Storage tank volume measurement traditionally requires tank gauging or confined space entry. Aerial surveys provide accurate tank volume calculation from external surface models without personnel entry.

What Aeroyantra delivers for tank measurement:

• Tank volume calculation - Accurate volume measurement from aerial surface models

• Tank geometry verification - Measurement of tank diameter, height, and shell geometry

• Tank settlement monitoring - Time-series surface change detection for tank foundation settlement

• Tank farm inventory - Volume measurement across multiple tanks in a single survey

• Floating roof position tracking - Monitoring of floating roof position for inventory verification

---

Thermal Inspection and Equipment Monitoring

Detect Equipment Hot Spots and Insulation Failures

Thermal imaging from drones identifies equipment hot spots, insulation failures, and process anomalies that are invisible to visual inspection.

What thermal inspection delivers:

• Equipment hot spot detection - Identification of overheating equipment, bearings, and electrical connections

• Insulation assessment - Thermal mapping of insulated piping and equipment to identify insulation failures

• Flare and furnace monitoring - Thermal monitoring of flares, furnaces, and combustion equipment

• Heat exchanger performance - Thermal assessment of heat exchanger performance and fouling

• Leak detection - Thermal detection of hydrocarbon leaks and process fluid releases

---

Complete Deliverables for Oil & Gas Operations

Deliverable	Pipeline	Facility	Tanks	Thermal	Compliance
High-res orthomosaic	✓	✓	✓	-	✓
3D facility model	-	✓	-	-	✓
Pipeline corridor map	✓	-	-	-	✓
Encroachment detection report	✓	-	-	-	✓
Tank volume report	-	-	✓	-	✓
Thermal inspection report	-	✓	-	✓	✓
LiDAR point cloud (LAS/LAZ)	-	✓	-	-	✓
As-built documentation	-	✓	-	-	✓
Time-series archive	✓	✓	✓	✓	✓
GIS-compatible exports	✓	✓	✓	-	✓
PDF inspection reports	✓	✓	✓	✓	✓

---

Who Uses Aeroyantra for Oil & Gas

Aeroyantra is used by oil and gas operators, inspection companies, and engineering consultants managing:

• Refineries and processing plants
• Oil and gas terminals and storage facilities
• Pipeline operations and integrity management
• LNG and CNG facilities
• Petrochemical plants
• Offshore platform topside inspection
• Facility decommissioning and abandonment
• Regulatory compliance and safety audits

---

Frequently Asked Questions

Q1: Can drone inspection replace traditional tank inspection methods?

Drone inspection provides external tank inspection without confined space entry or elevated access. For internal tank inspection, traditional methods are still required. The value of drone inspection is eliminating personnel exposure for external inspection while providing higher-quality data than ground-level inspection.

Q2: Can Aeroyantra survey active oil and gas facilities safely?

Yes, with appropriate safety planning and coordination with facility management. Surveys are conducted in compliance with OISD guidelines, facility safety protocols, and DGCA regulations. All operations are planned to maintain safe distances from process equipment and hazardous areas.

Q3: Can thermal inspection detect hydrocarbon leaks?

Thermal imaging can detect some types of hydrocarbon leaks where temperature differential exists. For comprehensive leak detection, specialized gas detection sensors are required. Thermal inspection is most effective for equipment hot spot detection and insulation assessment.

Q4: Can Aeroyantra produce documentation for PNGRB and OISD compliance?

Yes. Aeroyantra produces georeferenced, time-stamped inspection records suitable for PNGRB regulatory submissions and OISD safety compliance documentation. Report formatting can be configured to match specific regulatory requirements.

Q5: How frequently should oil and gas facilities be surveyed?

Survey frequency depends on regulatory requirements and operational needs. For pipeline corridor monitoring, annual surveys are typical for encroachment detection. For facility inspection, surveys during turnaround or maintenance windows are standard. For tank volume verification, monthly or quarterly surveys are common.

---

Ready to Get Started?

Whether you are inspecting facilities, monitoring pipeline corridors, measuring tank volumes, or preparing compliance documentation, Aeroyantra gives your oil and gas operation the aerial data you need while keeping personnel safe.