How pre-inspection by drone transforms turnaround planning: scope definition, bill of materials validation, and eliminating surprises. A pre-TAR drone inspection 3–6 months before the shutdown can reduce costs by more than 16x its investment.
Every experienced turnaround manager knows the problem: the inspection plan is created based on historical data, remaining life calculations and experience – but the actual condition of the equipment is unknown at planning time. This leads to two equally costly extremes:
The solution: Pre-TAR inspection. By targeted deployment of drones in the weeks and months before the shutdown, the inspection scope is placed on a factual basis – not on assumptions.
Pre-TAR inspection delivers concrete data that feeds directly into turnaround planning. The following planning steps benefit immediately:
If the drone pre-inspection shows that internal wall corrosion in a tank is less severe than feared and no floor repair is required, the elaborate scaffolding can be eliminated. Scope and budget are adjusted accordingly. Typical savings potential:
Equally often, pre-TAR inspection reveals damage that would have been discovered only after opening without pre-inspection. The decisive difference: with timely detection, the required material can be ordered before the shutdown begins. Typical cases:
The BoM – the material list for the turnaround – is a central planning document. Pre-TAR drone data allows a damage-based BoM validation instead of a blanket conservative one. Every position in the BoM can be checked against the actually observed damage: is the material really needed? In what quantity? What specification?
The integration of drone inspection into the TAR preparation process follows a proven timeline:
Long before the shutdown, all objects that do not require a plant shutdown can be inspected:
Results feed into long lead item ordering – materials with long delivery times (special seals, exotic materials, imported refractory).
External inspections of tanks and vessels with the DJI Matrice 30T provide indications of:
For equipment that is shut down for short maintenance windows or production breaks, internal inspection is recommended:
Finding data 3–6 months before the TAR is ideal: sufficient time for material ordering, but close enough to the TAR for precise condition assessment.
Pre-TAR drone inspection is cost-effective – decisively so. The following figures provide orientation:
A refinery operator conducted a pre-TAR inspection of 4 tanks and 2 chimneys 6 months before the TAR (ELIOS 3 + DJI Matrice 30T, 2 deployment days, total cost approx. €12,000). Results:
Net savings from pre-TAR: over €200,000 – on an investment of €12,000. Return on investment: >16x. Contact us to develop a similar analysis for your next turnaround.
Our team supports turnaround managers with pre-TAR drone inspection across Germany – refinery, chemical, cement, power generation.
Christian Engelke
Founder & Drone Pilot
Karsten Lehrke
Managing Director
Philipp
Drone Pilot
Max
Inspection Specialist
Benjamin
Drone PilotThe ideal window is 3–6 months before the TAR. This leaves enough time for material ordering and scope adjustments while being close enough to the TAR for a precise condition snapshot. For structures that can be inspected without a shutdown (chimneys, pipe racks, external structures), 12–18 months before the TAR is realistic.
Everything that does not require the plant to be shut down: chimneys and stacks (external always, internal during brief production pauses), pipe racks and supporting structures, cooling towers (external), and outdoor steel structures. Tanks can sometimes be partially inspected while containing residual product. During planned partial shutdowns or product changes, boilers and tanks can also be internally inspected.
We work directly with the turnaround manager or site maintenance team. Findings are documented in structured reports that can be directly integrated into the TAR planning system (SAP PM, CMMS etc.). We clarify the interface together in a kick-off conversation.
That is exactly the value of pre-TAR inspection. Finding severe damage 3–6 months before the TAR means: material can be ordered, specialists engaged, and the work scope extended in a controlled manner. The same damage discovered on opening day would force an emergency response – with all the cost and schedule consequences that entails.
Yes. Pre-TAR drone footage and 3D models serve as the baseline condition documentation. During the TAR, updated inspection data is compared against the pre-TAR baseline – showing which damage has progressed, which new findings have appeared, and which areas match expectations. This provides the approved inspection body (ZÜS, TÜV, DEKRA) with a richer data foundation.
We assess free of charge which equipment units can be inspected by drone before the shutdown – and how much scope uncertainty can be eliminated. Send us your inspection plan and we will get back to you.
Kopterflug Inspection Services GmbH
Am Tabakquartier 62, 28197 Bremen, Germany
+49 421 408 937-0 ·
[email protected]
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