Workhorse of the skies?

摘要

Energy pipelines are mainly buried. Damage may occur during land-clearing, construction, or farming work. The Right Of Way Automated Monitoring (RAM) Project, is looking at innovative technologies to improve and automate pipeline monitoring in the US and internationally. The goal is to use aerial surveillance through unmanned aircraft to provide continuous, real-time detection and reporting of pipeline integrity. The first test flight using a fixed-wing unmanned aircraft to inspect an energy pipeline route - with a piloted chase helicopter to ensure safety beyond the ground observers' sight line - was completed in March. The flight lasted 90 minutes and covered about 11 miles over a Colonial Pipeline Company right of way near Fork Union in rural Virginia.