AeroVironment supports BP Exploration Alaska operations

AeroVironment will provide a range of unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) mapping and Geographic Information System (GIS) services to BP Exploration (Alaska) over a five-year period under a new contract announced on 10 June. The work will be conducted over BP Exploration’s Prudhoe Bay oil field.

The contract marks the first time that UAVs will be performing routine commercial services over land in compliance with Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) regulations.

The work began on 8 June, with AeroVironment deploying its Puma AE UAV equipped with either a custom integrated LiDAR (Light Detection and Ranging) or its standard electro-optical and infrared sensor payload.

The sensor payloads produce imagery and data for processing into 3D computerised models of roads, pads and pipelines, and other actionable information, including precision volumetric measurement and topographic analysis of gravel pits at the North Slope field.

AeroVironment’s expert UAS operators are now performing photogrammetry and LiDAR analysis to survey Prudhoe Bay infrastructure including the gravel roads, pipelines and a gravel pit.  The Puma AE’s ability to fly low, at 200 to 400 feet above ground level, and slowly, at less than 40 knots, provides BP with highly accurate location analytics capabilities to help manage its complex.

Tim Conver, chairman and chief executive officer, AeroVironment, said: ‘Thanks to the FAA’s rigorous, safety-focused certification process for UAS, BP and AeroVironment have launched a safer, better and more cost-effective solution for managing critical infrastructure and resources.

‘BP’s forward-thinking embrace of UAS technology enabled AeroVironment to deliver a comprehensive approach for generating, processing and converting data collected by portable UAS into actionable information that provides tangible economic and operational advantages.  Integrated into BP’s routine operations, this new solution is now helping BP manage its extensive Prudhoe Bay field operations in a way that enhances safety, protects the environment, improves productivity and accomplishes activities never before possible.’

Related Equipment in Defence Insight

Puma AE (Family)