Multiple Inspection Tasks. One Flight.
Ultrasonic Thickness Measurement is only as good as the surface it’s taken from.
That’s the boring truth everyone in NDT knows and too many workflows quietly work around.
One continuous, controlled workflow
With the Scout 137 Gen 3 UTM Payload, surface preparation and measurement are treated as one integrated task, not separate steps stitched together with extra landings, tool changes, or assumptions.
The short video below highlights a core capability of the Scout 137 Gen 3 equipped with the UTM Payload:
Surface preparation and ultrasonic thickness measurement performed in one continuous, controlled workflow.
In this sequence, the drone approaches a steel surface coated with simulated crude oil residue (paraffin wax), performs localized surface cleaning, and immediately carries out ultrasonic thickness measurement on the prepared spot. The operation is completed with a clean, controlled release.
To validate the results, measurements from the drone-based UTM are subsequently verified using two independent handheld gauges (Tritex and Cygnus), confirming consistency between airborne and conventional inspection methods.
Designed to remove friction between inspection steps that belong together, the value of the Gen 3 UTM Payload is simple and practical:
- Proper surface preparation at the exact measurement point
- No repositioning between cleaning and measurement
- Improved data quality and repeatability
- Reduced time on task and reduced exposure of personnel.
On-board couplant reservoir
The UTM Payload comes with its own couplant reservoir and integrated pump, typically sufficient for up to 100 measurements per flight, allowing repeated spot preparation and UT measurements without intermediate landings. In practice, this enables dense measurement campaigns in a fraction of the time traditionally required.
In one example sequence, the system performs 10 verified UT measurements in under two minutes, including surface preparation. Even if the steel plate in this case may be in better condition than some, this kind of tempo changes how inspections are both planned and executed.
Read more about it here:
Faster UT inspections with fewer steps: 10 measurements in 2 minutes
Class-relevant
The capabilities promoted above are designed for Class-relevant inspections in confined and GPS-denied environments, where access, repeatability, and data confidence matters most.
In a maritime context, Class relevance is not about choosing one inspection method over another. It’s about using the right method at the right stage of an inspection process.
As highlighted by Marine Inspection Services (see below), the most efficient marine inspections are not framed as drone versus rope access, but as a combination of complementary tools. Remote inspection technologies are increasingly used to perform early-stage screening, data capture, and targeted measurement, helping inspection teams focus human access only where it adds real value.
In this context, drone-based ultrasonic thickness measurement with integrated surface preparation enables Class-relevant data to be gathered earlier, faster, and with less exposure, while still aligning with established inspection philosophies. The result is better-informed decisions, reduced scope for unnecessary access, and inspection workflows that remain compatible with Class expectations and conventional verification methods.
Customer Marine Inspection Services performed side-by-side comparisons between the Scout 137 UTM Payload and two hand-held gauges. Click the links below for more.
For details on the demonstration event and operational context, see these articles by Marine Inspection Services:
👉 https://www.marineinspectionservices.co.uk/news/41/mis-welcomes-scoutdi-to-demonstrate-the-new-scout-137-gen-3-UTM-drone
👉 https://www.marineinspectionservices.co.uk/news/32/drone-vs-rope-access-%E2%80%94-why-the-most-efficient-marine-inspections-use-both%C2%A0
Marine Inspection Services are a ScoutDI customer, certified for drone-based NDT Class inspection with DNV, ABS, LR and BV.
Interested in the UTM Payload?
Download our in-depth PDF and contact us to for an informal chat 👍
