The use of Unmanned Aircraft Systems (UAS) for inspecting and detecting pipeline leaks. FAA rules and regulation. Onboard instrumentation. UAS options. Questions or comments? Contact Chris Tonish at ctonish@msn.com

1. Authors:
Chris Tonish, P.G., Consulting Project Manager, Oil & Gas Industry Professional
Larry Tonish, UAS Regulations Consultant, Retired FAA Air Traffic Operations Support

3. • 2.5 Million Miles of Gas Pipelines
• 150,000 Miles of Oil Pipelines
• 45,000 Miles of Pipelines in Colorado
• 23,090 Miles of Pipeline Planned
or Under Construction in the U.S.

7. ALL STATES (1986-2014)
• TOTAL INCIDENTS - 8,382
• FATALITIES - 532
• INJURIES - 2,475
• DAMAGE COST - $7.5 BILLION
COLORADO (1996-2015)
• TOTAL INCIDENTS - 72
• FATALITIES - 1
• INJURIES - 24
• DAMAGE COST - $30.5 MILLION
Source Pipeline and Hazardous Materials Safety Administration (PHMSA)

8. OIL PRICES ARE AT 11 YEAR LOWES
• FORCING BUDGET CUTS TO PIPELINE MAINTAINANCE
• DELAYING OR CANCELLING PIPELINE CONSTUCTION AND
EXPANSION PROJECTS, THEREBY FURTHER STRESSING
EXISTING INFRASTRCTURE
• ASSET SALES, MERGERS & ACQUISITIONS AND
BANKRUPTCIES ADVERSELY CONTRIBUTING TO PIPELINE
SAFETY

9. Above Ground Physical Inspections
• External Visual Inspection for corrosion and anomalies
• Ultrasonic Corrosion and Thickness tests
• Soil and Vegetation Characteristics
• Thermal Imaging Cameras
In-Line Inspection
• Smart Pigs - Equipped with robotic cameras and sensors
• Hydrostatic Testing
• Camera Inspection
• Acoustic Sensor Listening for leak
• Integrity Digs
• Advanced Software Program Models that create a profile, monitor
sensors and detect changes

10. Unmanned Aircraft Systems (UAS)
Fixed Wing vs Rotary
Electric vs Gas Powered

13. OPTIONS TO LAWFULLY EXACUTE A
COMMERCIAL UAS OPERATION
NEW RULES PART 107 as of August 29, 2016
• Pass and Initial Aeronautical Knowledge Test at an FAA
Knowledge Testing Center
• Obtain an Unmanned Aircraft Operator Certificate with an sUAS
rating
• Comply with Operational Limitations
• Register Aircraft with FAA
• Pilots must be 16 years of age or older and able to speak
English
THE 333 EXEMPTION
• Authorizes the FAA to grant exemptions
• Required a minimum Sport Pilots License
• Other factors include size, weight, speed, type of operation,
proximity to airports/people and line of sight

14. PART 107 OPERATIONAL LIMITATIONS
EFFECTIVE August 29, 2016
• Operator must hold a remote pilot airman certificate or be under direct
supervision
• Weigh less than 55 pounds, including instrumentation
• Must remain within visual line-of-sight of the remote pilot or visual observer
• May not operate over any persons not directly participating in the operation
• Daylight-only operations, or civil twilight with appropriate anti-collision lighting
• Must yield right of way to other aircraft
• Maximum groundspeed of 100 mph
• Maximum altitude of 400 feet AGL
• Minimum weather visibility of 3 miles from control station
• Operations near airports, and general controlled airspace are allowed with Air
Traffic Control (ATC) permission
• Operations in uncontrolled airspace are allowed without ATC permission.
• No operations from a moving vehicle unless over a sparsely populated area
• Report to the FAA within 10 days of any serious injury or property damage of at
least $500
• Conduct a preflight inspection to ensure the small UAS is in a condition for safe
operation
Restrictions above are waivable. The certificate of waiver/authorization (COA)
issued by the FAA will specify the operational limitations that are waived and state
the procedures that must be used to provide an equivalent level of safety.

15. Regulations subject to waiver or airspace authorization
• Operation in certain airspace
• Operations from a moving vehicle or aircraft
• Daylight operation
• Visual line of sight aircraft operation
• Visual observer
• Operation of multiple UAS’s
• Yielding the right of way
• Operation over people
• Operation in certain airspace
• Operating limitations: ground speed
• Operating limitations: altitude
• Operating limitations: minimum visibility
• Operating limitations: minimum distance from clouds

16. • High Resolution Cameras
• FLIR Thermal Imaging Cameras
• Methane-Sniffer Sensors
• Magnetometers
• LiDAR (Light Detection and Ranging)
• Soil and Vegetation Characterization

17. For Pilots Heads Up Display
• Image and Video Recording
• A wide variety of high resolution
cameras on the market
• Weight < 1 lb.
• $400-1,000

18. Workswell WIRIS (Prague, Czech Republic)
• Radiometric Thermal Imaging Camera
• Image and Video Recording
• Resolution up to 640 x 512 pixels
• Temperature Range -40°C to + 550°C
• Accuracy ±2°C
• 32 GB Flash Drive
• Weight 0.88 lbs.
• $10,660

19. FLIR VUE PRO R
• Radiometric Thermal Imaging Camera
• Resolution image 640 x 512 pixels
• Video – Analog Output
• Temperature Range -25°C + 350°C
• Accuracy ±5°C
• Weight 0.25 lbs.
• $4,500

20. • Colorado State University Ventures
Real-time measurement of
methane emissions
• University of Colorado/Lasen Company
small scale methane detection
• Ball Corp Leak Detector LiDAR system
• A NASA Open Path Laser detect
methane by parts-per-billion
• LMC Laser Methane Copter
Methane
concentration
over oil well
NASA Laser system
LMC Laser Copter

21. Quadcopter, battery operated drones

22. Quadcopter, battery operated drones

23. Yeair Quadcopter,
• Combustion engines
• Payload Weight 12 lbs.
• Flight Time up to 60 minutes, range 34 miles
• Cost: Company is looking for funding …buy now for $1,520

24. Horizon Unmanned Systems, Singapore
• Hycopter stores 4.2 ounces of hydrogen gas at 5,076
psi inside the structural tubing of its hull
• Payload Weights 3.3 lbs. for 4 hours
• Hydrogen gas is converted into electricity by a
lightweight lithium polymer hybrid fuel cell
• Delivery in 2017
• Cost ?

25. • Multiple Onboard Detection and Monitoring Systems
• Pipelines and Oil Field Infrastructure
• Thermal Imaging Steam Injection Wellsites
• Methane Release Monitoring
• Locating Abandon Wellsites
• Air Quality Surveys
• Generate Field Base Maps
• Productivity and Safety
• Access in Remote Areas
• Emergency Response
• Low Operating Cost

26. • A drone platform with onboard instrumentation
can safely and efficiently inspect pipelines and
detect leaks
• Drone technology and onboard instrumentation
will continue to be innovative
• The government will continue to transfer drone
technologies to industry
• Success will be based on how well we utilize the
technology and manage field operations