The rapid development of the national economy makes the growing national demand for energy . Oil and gas pipelines as the country 's energy artery , its rapid development to solve the UK energy transport stress, security of energy supply security plays a very important role. Ensure the smooth operation of oil and gas pipeline safety -related business has become an important responsibility .

Long-distance oil and gas pipelines long lines, widely distributed via multiple complex topography , in the management of work, often face the following challenges: ( 1 ) pipeline inspections . Traditional manual transmission line method is time consuming and laborious, difficult conditions , high labor costs, many buried in the advantageous location of the pipeline , due to environmental advantageous , traffic inconvenience caused by the transmission line can not be reached on foot , leading to security risks can not be found ; ( 2 ) emergency rescue . How timely location, nature pipeline emergencies, arrived at the scene quickly and accurately , providing first-hand information for the emergency rescue , accident shorten the processing time , reduce secondary accidents , emergency rescue of the pipeline has been a problem ; ( 3 ) to defend the pipeline . Prevent drilling Stolen , stolen gas phenomenon, strengthen pipeline security work .

UAVs as a fusion of a number of professional high-tech in-one , you can quickly get the information landscape space remote sensing , combined with long-distance oil and gas pipeline management features , summarizing the absorption based on the experience of other industries can be applied to long-distance oil and gas pipelines regular inspection , emergency rescue inspections , oil spills and stolen ( Pirates of the gas ) point site location , etc., can be a viable guarantee the safe operation of the pipeline of new tools .

UAV application of the principles in the management of long-distance oil and gas pipelines in
UAV system consisting of

Unmanned aerial vehicles ( UAVs for short ) is one of today's hot aviation technology development , the development has been nearly 80 years of history, its blend of unmanned aerial vehicles , remote sensors , remote telemetry , communications , GPS differential positioning , image processing and other cutting-edge technology to achieve space remote sensing of land resources , environment, vegetation and other information quickly acquiring, processing , analysis, modeling and application of automation , intelligence, special subject . Early basically used for military , at home and abroad are active in civil UAV research and resources remote sensing , environmental assessment, aerial mapping , precision agriculture , meteorological observation and patrol areas of electricity has made some progress. Compared to ordinary aircraft , which has a small size, light weight, low cost , easy maintenance, the use of flexible features.

In general , the air portion of the UAV , the ground segment and datahttp://www.ttc-switch.com/dissertation_writing/Engineering/processing components. ( A ) the air section. By the remote sensors , remote air control UAV platform components. Its main function is to plan routes and upload it to the controller on the aircraft , in-flight monitoring of aircraft status within the control radius can actually need to change the part of the control parameters based and aerial photography ; ( 2 ) ground segment . By the route planning , UAV ground control and data receiving display components. The main features of the design and planning waterway trajectory and load control module UAV route , so you can receive real-time UAV remote sensing and remote sensing data collection and real-time control of UAVs and flight attitude data based on predetermined routes image display . ( 3 ) the data processing part. After the image processing part , is a key part of UAV remote sensing technology , related to the accuracy and precision of the analysis of the image.

UAV remote sensing technology based on the existing development on the highly efficient and stable UAV to choose the right platform ( UAV models ) , a good flight control system ( completed UAV flight control and flight management system consists of sensors , 3 parts actuators and flight control computer systems ) , airborne remote sensing equipment control system ( by the digital camera , stable platform , remote device control system, etc. ) , efficient data processing system suitable for long-distance oil and gas pipelines can be composed of line inspections , emergency rescue and pipe defending UAV remote sensing flight systems .

UAV system line inspections workflow

In long-distance gas pipeline route inspections , for example, a complete solution for UAV transmission line , which may include : UAV airframe, aircraft catapult takeoff , autopilot, ground station control and so on.

UAV patrol line workflow :

UAVs equipped with high-definition camera , high-resolution CCD camera and an infrared imager and other mission equipment , by taking off aircraft to take off ;
Ground with autonomous navigation positioning controllers , enabling UAV autonomous takeoff , using fixed high- flying ways to ensure the safety UAVs and ground test object ;

Real-time transmission of digital image transfer station patrol in video ;

Ground inspectors determine the pattern of real-time video line situation and determine the location based on GPS positioning and records , find problem areas open when airborne CCD camera shoot , using high-resolution aerial photos of the problem areas for accurate interpretation ;

After the completion of the first flight , the UAV operating conditions according to the site , select the roll , parachute , etc. for recycling.
UAVs in long-distance oil and gas pipelines in the application

In other countries, UAV remote sensing technology applications in all aspects of the pipeline industry has been very extensive , involving mountain pipeline inspection, offshore oil and gas pipeline monitoring , disaster evaluation of secondary disasters , oil spills and Stolen point -site positioning.

Domestic , drones have been used in the case of the construction of the pipeline , such as the celebration Rail Capacity Expansion pipeline construction, have used remote sensing unmanned flight systems assist the construction unit to optimize line selection , actinomycetes , construction of approach roads to help choose ; the geological hazard survey , there are success stories, UAV remote sensing has been applied in the West-East Gas pipeline Geohazards ; in pipeline management , the 2011 UAV remote sensing technology management at Portland Chengdu-Chongqing pipeline pipeline been applied , is used in the UK for the first time the management of long-distance oil and gas pipelines .

November 2012 , British Petroleum natural gas pipeline company conducted the first test flight of UAV pipeline inspections . The trial Central Petroleum Institute UAV project team to implement the pipeline between the Longtan Station to the West-East pipeline Zhenjiang station trunk pipeline patrol UAV test . Patrolling the process can be carried out simultaneously recording high-definition video signals , the picture was taken landform along the pipeline , three , hydraulic protection facilities , the station and the valve chamber safety monitoring , pipeline along the surface geological changes, stray current drainage pipe system monitoring body , the surrounding circumstances and ancillary facilities pipeline monitoring, can effectively improve the efficiency and quality inspection .

Currently, there are a number of companies to provide UAV pipe line inspection techniques, such as British Petroleum Pipeline College, Guilin Xin Ying companies, pipeline transmission line to provide solutions .

Fourth, the application prospects and outlook

UAV remote sensing technology matures, the industry has gradually penetrated into all civilian areas , including weather monitoring, investigation and monitoring of various resources , measurement , incident handling and power line patrol and so on. In the long-distance gas pipeline applications, foreign countries has been very extensive , involving mountain pipeline inspection, all aspects of offshore oil and gas pipeline monitoring , disaster evaluation of secondary disasters , oil spills and Stolen Point site positioning, domestic use is still in the exploratory stage.

UAV relative to ordinary aircraft, with small size, light weight, low cost , easy maintenance, the use of flexible features. High efficiency operation in the pipeline , flexible , easy to use, can take high-risk missions , as pipeline management provides a new choice. UAV remote sensing technology in the pipe line patrol , the advantageous location along the pipeline available data , to avoid the artificial transmission line caused by missing data can not be reached , you can supplement traditional manual transmission line approach ; rescue in the pipeline , the use of unmanned aerial vehicles Real-time video images returned , to identify clearly the situation , and can be fixed track , the first time to grasp the potentially dangerous locations , in order to prevent dangerous situations to save time. In addition, precise positioning , monitoring oil spills Stolen irregular points, effective containment punch Stolen frequent phenomenon. Furthermore , UAV technology to identify high consequence areas, hazards identification and evaluation of secondary disasters , such as pipeline integrity management can also play a significant role.

With the great development of the UK pipeline industry , especially the " Eleventh Five-Year " period, in West- East Gas Transmission , Kazakhstan oil pipeline , Lan Zheng Long Pipeline and other projects as a symbol, and "five" planning focus on the development of natural gas energy strategy, the pipeline industry will usher in greater development period , and how to ensure safety in production pipelines running smoothly become the most important task , UAV remote sensing flight systems independent and strong , machine contained data acquisition system can be set to different sensors , their little transformation can be used for pipe pipe line patrol management , emergency rescue , pipeline security, offshore oil and gas pipeline monitoring , etc. , is bound to have broad market demand. With improvements in technology and development of unmanned aerial vehicles , UAVs will play an increasingly important role in pipeline management.