Workflow Automation Solution for Drone-Based Oil Rig Inspections

Analyzes multimedia data captured by inspection drones and helps oil and gas companies monitor equipment condition

The client specializes in drone-based industrial inspection services.

Problem

Sky-Futures turned to Softeq to develop a workflow management system. It would process images and videos captured by drones during oil rig inspections.

The solution would help oil companies make equipment monitoring cheaper.

Solution

We built a secure customer portal with a back end powered by proprietary Machine Learning algorithms. The system serves as a universal platform for automated order, document, and digital asset management. Its key features include:

User administration: an oil production company can register an account and track the data on UAV inspections performed at the facilities they own
Image and video processing: the system uses smart algorithms to process visual data captured by inspection drones
Electronic document management
Collaboration functionality: reviews, comments, task assignments, etc.
Inspection reports: dynamic, PDF

The solution features photo and video editing tools supporting color, brightness, and sharpness adjustments. It also allows operators to save still images from a video and add text and voice notes during online video playback.

sky-future-Picture1 — ML algorithms identify equipment faults in 2D images captured by industrial drones

sky-future-Picture2 — Equipment operators capture still images from the video and annotate them using the built-in image editing tools

sky-future-Picture3 — The solution helps oil and gas companies reduce inspection costs without exposing human employees to environmental and safety hazards

Software and Technology

Colin Hickey —

Head of Product, Sky-Futures

In terms of project management, Softeq is bulletproof. They respond to things quickly, and they don't cheat by doing the bare minimum work to achieve the specs. They're apologetic if something doesn't work as planned, even if it's not their fault. And they turn around resolutions extremely quickly.

Result

The solution is expected to further maximize time savings and minimize costs related to oil and gas inspections. In 2017, the workflow automation system developed by Softeq won a Silver Stevie® Award as Energy Industry Innovation of the Year in the International Business Awards program.