Open Collections

Roch, Keaton Hunter

University of British Columbia

When trying to preserve the integrity and safety of heavy equipment, pressure vessels, storage tanks, and structures, it is essential to perform regular visual inspections. Unfortunately, the areas these inspections take place are not always easily accessible and can involve harsh environments. Subjecting inspectors to these areas can pose health and safety risks while also being very costly. Unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) are a relatively new tool used to conduct visual inspections in difficult areas to access. However, UAVs have not been designed to operate in harsh environments associated with extreme temperatures, humidity, and/or strong winds. Initial research will be conducted in attempt to predict the risks these harsh environments pose on the UAV. Following the study of these risks, a UAV will be designed and created while attempting to mitigate these issues. Upon completion of the construction, this UAV will be tested in each environment individually to determine the effects of each. By studying the results of each test, the UAV is then able to be furthermore adapted or approved for flight within the aforementioned conditions.

Text

2023-03-07

Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivatives 4.0 International

http://hdl.handle.net/2429/83891

Mechanical Engineering

University of British Columbia

UBCO

http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-nd/4.0/