- Services
  - Drone Inspections
    Our drone inspections
    Drone photography
    Thermal imaging
    Confined space inspections
    Underwater Inspections
    Drone Surveys
    Our drone surveys
    LIDAR surveys
    3D mapping and digital twins
    Stockpile volume measurement
    Multispectral Imaging
    Cut and fill
    Consultancy
    Drone Consultancy Services
    Drone inspections
    We use drones to inspect industrial, agricultural and residential assets. In an inspection, our engineers can assess the safety and performance of buildings, structures and objects. Find out more...
    Drone surveys
    We use drones to survey land and terrain. In a survey, our engineers can measure, model, map or digitise your spaces and objects in 2D or 3D. Find out more...
- Industries
  - General Industry
    Industrial Inspections
    Tanks Silos and Vessels
    Industrial Chimney Inspections
    Pipeline Inspections
    Civil
    Bridge Inspection
    Rail
    Water Towers
    Rivers and Waterways
    Coastal and Marine
    Coastal Infrastructure
    Ships and Marine Inspections
    Underwater Inspections
    Construction and Real Estate
    Roof Inspections
    Construction Services
    Building Inspections
    Drone Surveys
    Rooftop Solar
    Historic Buildings
    Real Estate Services
    Telecoms
    Telecom Tower Inspections
    Tower Inspections
    Line Of Sight Surveys
    Energy
    Energy Drone Services
    Wind Turbines
    Solar Farms
    Power Grid
    Oil And Gas
    Flare Inspections
    Agriculture and Ecology
    Farm Mapping
    Forestry Mapping
    Landscape Inspections
    Other
    Insurance Inspections
    Quarry and Landfill
    Storm Damage Inspections
    Drone Consultancy
- Case Studies
- AboutAbout
  - Resource Hub
    Our HSSE
    Our Equipment
    How to perform a Drone Roof Inspection
    About
    About Us
    The Team
    Careers
    Contact Details
- Let's Talk

A photo of a ship being inspected by a drone

Ship hull inspections Fast, Safe, and detailed ship Inspections. No risky dives and less paperwork

Ship inspections with little or no downtime.

Hidden beneath the surface is the ship's hull, an important element in ensuring that a ship functions efficiently. Material failure, corrosion, and unidentified structural defects can lead to disaster, making frequent ship hull inspections important. The traditional method of inspection, using human divers, is time-consuming and expensive and puts the divers at risk. The underwater inspection service provided by Engineers with Drones helps you assess a ship's hull and spot structural failure using non-destructive underwater drones, faster and safer.

Why choose us?

Qualified engineers

As licensed engineers, we also provide the expertise, understanding, and knowledge necessary to carry out a thorough inspection, with deliverables to match. Our skilled engineers are at the ready.

IAA certification

The Irish Aviation Authority has awarded Engineers with Drones full approval in accordance with the most recent European-wide EASA regulations.

Latest technology

To ensure that you always get the best possible service and cutting-edge deliverables, we purchase the most up-to-date drone technology as soon as it's available.

Rigorous HSSE standards

The operation of Engineers With Drones is governed by a comprehensive HSSE system. Our guiding principles are to reduce risk through rigorous assessment, and to maintain a high level of staff education and training.

Fully insured

We have 6.5 million in public and product liability insurance, and 13 million in employers' liability insurance. Engineers with Drones are fully insured to fly wherever you need.

Based in Ireland

As we're situated in Ireland, we can respond to your needs quickly, with zero travel complications.

First-class deliverables

As seasoned engineers in the field, we are aware of the trouble that shoddy reports and deliverables can create. For this reason, we provide you with exactly what you require.

Quick turnaround times

Thanks to our fast turnaround times, your entire project can be completed in a fraction of the time of traditional methods, without any compromise in the quality of your deliverables.

4K and VR Footage

In addition to quadrupling the resolution of an HD camera, 4K also gives you quicker frame rates, incredible contrast variations, and expanded colours. VR video takes the level of immersion and clarity to the next level.

Why use a drone for your ship inspection?

Greater Accuracy

Drones capture high-quality, impartial information that gives you an exact assessment of the status and needs of your asset.

No downtime

Downtime is expensive and inconvenient. Using a drone, our engineers can conduct a thorough survey with little to no downtime.

Safety

The safety of your personnel and our own is paramount, and we place it at the forefront of our company culture. Ask us about our HSSE systems and practices.

Detect hidden problems

We use cutting-edge technologies to detect problems that would otherwise be invisible. These include ultra-HD photography/video, LIDAR and thermal imaging.

Hard-to-reach spaces

Drones aren't just for flying up in the sky. Our specialist drones can fly into confined spaces like chimneys and boilers to look for issues that would otherwise be inaccessible.

Quick turnaround

We understand that you need answers fast. We can deliver a plain-English report with clear-cut conclusions in days. Then, you can take the steps you need to and get back to doing what you do best.

No scaffolding or ropes

Drone technology is cheaper, safer and more reliable than traditional methods such as scaffolding, cherry-pickers and ropes. It's also quicker and less labour-intensive. We will bring everything we need and be out of your way that same day.

Real-time consulting

Sometimes the brief can change even in real-time. If need be, you can be stood there right next to the drone operator, directing them as the situation develops.

Inspection is essential to maintaining your ship's hull

The hull paint is an important protective element in helping ships deal with changing water temperatures, currents, biofouling and sea environments. If your ship's hull is not properly protected, these changing conditions can cause structural damage.

Our ship hull inspection service helps our clients track the status of their vessel's hull. The build-up of plants, algae and other sea organisms (also called biofouling) can hinder your ship's performance. Even ships treated with antifouling paint need regular inspection to ensure no areas have been compromised and that the paint is holding up. The advantage of ship hull inspections using drones is that you can compare, track and inspect points of interest up close, allowing you to determine when to recoat the paint.

Get a closer look without the hassle, delays or risk

Faster & Safer

Traditional inspection methods require the use of multiple divers. One of the divers will take up the role of "main diver" and the others will be in supporting roles. During an inspection, they may need to switch roles depending on the circumstances. Divers have to take breaks. This can slow down the process. Many divers can be replaced by one submersible drone.

Underwater drones eliminate the need for human divers, minimizing the risks associated with underwater ship hull inspections. The port is a busy place with a lot of traffic from other vessels, causing a huge risk of ships colliding with a diver. Anchoring ships a mile from the port to mitigate this risk exposes the divers to the dangers of strong currents and being carried deeper into the ocean. Our underwater drones can navigate these strong currents safely. The rapid pressurization and depressurization caused by diving to 12 meters and deeper also take their toll on divers, often causing decompression sickness (also known as the bends). Our drone can go up and down all day.

High-quality and detailed reports

Our High-Definition cameras and thermal imagery, allow us to compile highly detailed, actionable data that is invisible to the naked eye. This saves further time in the repair or replacement of ship components. Tradespeople and other personnel on-site can be directed to areas of concern with pinpoint accuracy and with all the information they need. These reports can also be shared digitally with anyone else that may need to examine them. For example, with stakeholders and insurance companies.

How does it work?

Reach out and tell us your idea

We take emails, phone calls, messages, everything! If you are unsure of what's possible we are happy to advise, the most important thing is to get in touch. We would be delighted to answer any questions you may have.

Start at the end

With drones, it's best to begin where you want to end up. What sort of deliverable would you like when it's all finished? If you are not sure then we can advise. We can look at what you would like and work backwards from there.

Scope of work and set a price

Once we have agreed on what is to be done, the scope of work is set and a price is agreed upon. We feel it is vital that everyone knows what they are getting and what they are paying for it. There should be no confusion.

Permits and other paperwork

Once we have confirmation you are happy to proceed, we start the ball rolling. We organise things like RAMS, site permits, Air Traffic Control clearance and much more. Basically, we generate everything needed to turn up on-site with all our ducks in a row.

Field Operations

Next, we do the work on site. We have the gear, we have the know-how, so now it's time to get the job done. This can sometimes be affected by the weather, but for the most part, we get the job done on the date specified.

Post Processing

This is where we take what we generated in the field and turn it into a final deliverable for you. This can be anything from the raw data itself, to fully processed Orthophotos, condition reports, CAD line work or thermal imagery.

Handover

The final step is the handover of the deliverables. We tend to use a cloud-based service, so you can access your data anywhere. We can also tie into your existing systems if that is more convenient.

Get a quote

Our Services Not just photos from the sky

Spoiler alert: we don't do weddings! We're professional engineers who have learned to fly drones really well. If you're looking for a photo of your garden or a swooshing shot of your wedding reception, we're probably not the right people for you. But if you need an engineer's eyes and experience, combined with next-generation UAV technology and industry-leading deliverables, then you've come to the right place.

Drone Photography

Capture high-quality imagery of your assets from never before seen vantage points.

Drone Inspections

Drone Surveys

Consultancy

Drone inspections

Drone surveys

General Industry

Civil

Coastal and Marine

Construction and Real Estate

Telecoms

Energy

Agriculture and Ecology

Other

Resource Hub

About