3 Ways Indoor Drones Are Helping to Improve Safety for Internal Inspections

July 09, 2025

In addition to cost savings, safety is one of the most significant advantages of using indoor drones for internal inspections. The reason for this is straightforward: by employing an indoor drone to gather visual data, inspectors no longer need to do it manually. This means that drones can replace human inspectors in dangerous environments such as boilers, pressure vessels, or chimneys—reducing the risks associated with entering these hazardous areas. Drones like Flyability’s Elios 2 have revolutionized the inspection process, allowing for safe and efficient data collection without the need for physical entry. This advancement has made it possible to eliminate or significantly reduce the exposure of workers to high-risk situations. elios-2-indoor-drone-safety

The Elios 2 being used in an internal inspection

While early commercial drones were not always reliable and often served more as a supplement than a full replacement, modern technology has evolved dramatically. Today, indoor drones offer a safer, more efficient alternative to traditional inspection methods. This shift has allowed project managers to implement the highest level of the hierarchy of control—eliminating hazards entirely rather than just managing them. indoor-drones-safety-hierarchy-of-controls

So what are the main hazards that drones help reduce or eliminate? Here are three key benefits that highlight how indoor drones improve safety during internal inspections. **1. Reducing the Need for Confined Space Entry** According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, over 1,030 people in the U.S. died from occupational injuries involving confined spaces between 2011 and 2018. While not all of these incidents were for inspection purposes, many could have been replaced by drones. By using a drone instead of a person, companies can significantly reduce the risk of injury or death in such environments. confined-space-entry-fatalities

Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics—Fatal occupational injuries involving confined spaces / July 2020

Even when the goal is a visual assessment rather than a formal inspection, drones can still be used to collect the necessary data, eliminating the need for confined space entry altogether. **2. Reducing the Need for Rope Access** Rope access is another high-risk method where inspectors climb or rappel inside assets to collect visual data. Although less dangerous than confined space entry, it still poses risks. According to IRATA, there were four fatalities and 73 injuries related to rope access between 2017 and 2019. rope-access-injuries-fatalities

Source: IRATA Work & Safety Analysis 2020

By using a drone instead of rope access, inspectors can avoid many of these dangers, including falling objects, burns, or exposure to toxic vapors. **3. Reducing the Need for Scaffolding** Working on scaffolding also presents risks, such as falls and structural failures. OSHA reports that about 4,500 injuries and 60 deaths occur annually due to scaffold-related accidents. Drones can eliminate the need for scaffolding in many cases, improving safety for both inspectors and support staff. drone-inspection-scaffolding-1

A note on scaffolding: While drones can reduce the need for scaffolding in data collection, they may still be necessary for maintenance work. However, drones can help plan scaffolding use more efficiently, reducing unnecessary exposure. **The Future of Inspections—No More Humans in Dangerous Spaces** 越来越多的公司开始认识到使用无人机和机器人技术将人员从危险环境中移出的重要性。例如，陶氏化学（Dow）承诺在受限空间和其他危险工作场景中使用机器人，并采用了“让技术完成危险工作”的口号。 “Dow 使用无人机进行水下、高空和受限空间内的检查，而不是让员工冒险。这些检查可以识别即时的维护问题，并帮助预测特定地点的问题，从而采取预防措施。” — Dow 官方网站 该公司致力于到2025年消除工作场所的死亡事故，并将最严重的工伤和疾病减少85%（与2015年的基准相比）。根据下面的图表，可以看出他们在实现这一目标上取得了显著进展。 dow-injury-reduction-graph

以下是陶氏化学在实现其工作场所伤害减少目标方面取得的一些里程碑： - 2018年，陶氏通过机器人技术消除了超过1000次受限空间进入。 - 同年，陶氏还通过机器人技术避免了超过1000次需要高空作业的外部检查。 - 总体上，至少减少了75万小时的工人暴露于高风险活动的时间。 陶氏并不是唯一一家致力于通过无人机和其他机器人技术减少工作场所危害的公司。全球许多大型企业也在实施类似的举措，努力利用新技术使工作环境更加安全。 在未来十年内，我们希望看到因使用室内无人机和机器人代替人类进行危险工作而带来的工作场所死亡和受伤人数大幅下降。

Want to learn more about the benefits of drone inspections?

Watch this webinar: The Benefits of Drone Inspections—How Inspectors Are Using Drones to Improve Safety and Save Millions

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