Course Description
Autonomous and AI-enabled drones are transforming the inspection of electrical grids, pipelines, flare stacks, storage tanks, wind turbines, and other critical infrastructure — perceiving their surroundings, navigating autonomously, and capturing inspection data safely and at scale. Drone inspection keeps personnel out of dangerous situations while dramatically improving inspection coverage and frequency.
This course develops a practical understanding of drone-based inspection: the platforms and sensors used, how AI processes drone-captured data to detect defects, regulatory and safety considerations, and how to build a drone inspection program. It is directly applicable to energy, utilities, oil and gas, and infrastructure asset owners seeking safer, faster, more frequent inspection.
What you will achieve
By the end of this training course, participants will be able to:
- Explain the role of drones in infrastructure and asset inspection
- Describe drone platforms and inspection sensor payloads
- Understand autonomous navigation and data capture
- Apply drone inspection to grids, pipelines, tanks, and structures
- Understand how AI processes drone imagery to detect defects
- Address regulatory, airspace, and safety requirements
- Understand data management for drone inspection
- Plan and build a drone inspection program
How the course is delivered
The course combines drone inspection concepts with real application examples across infrastructure types. Participants explore platforms, sensors, AI defect detection, and program building using realistic inspection scenarios.
The programme balances the technology, regulatory, and program-management dimensions of drone inspection for asset owners.
Designed for
This training course is ideal for:
- Asset integrity and inspection engineers
- Reliability and maintenance professionals
- Energy, utilities, and pipeline asset owners
- HSE and operations personnel
- Engineers evaluating drone inspection
Daily programme
- The role of drones in inspection
- Drone platforms and capabilities
- Inspection sensor payloads (visual, thermal, LiDAR)
- Autonomous navigation and data capture
- Grid and power line inspection
- Pipeline, tank, and flare stack inspection
- Wind turbine and structural inspection
- AI defect detection from drone imagery
- Regulatory, airspace, and safety requirements
- Data management and reporting
- Building a drone inspection program
- Case studies and roadmap
Certification & accreditation
BII Certificate of Completion
BII Certificate of Completion Upon successful completion, participants receive a BII Development Institute Certificate of Completion with a unique reference code that is independently verifiable. Our certificates are recognised internationally and reflect successful completion of your chosen programme.
