Bristow steps into UAS services

Bristow Group has entered the UAS services business, with a $4.2 million investment in Sky-Futures announced on 9 February.

Sky-Futures provides drone inspection data services for the oil and gas industry. With its investment in the company - which also includes an exclusive partnership agreement - Bristow will expand its offerings to include drone inspection services. Bristow will have access to Sky-Futures UAS inspection operational expertise, data capturing and analysis technology, and training capabilities.

The new partnership will allow both companies to take advantage of cross-over in their customer bases. Sky-Futures currently operates in 16 countries and works with more than 30 major oil and gas companies around the world, many of which are Bristow's global clients. 

Sky-Futures has a Section 333 Federal Aviation Authority (FAA) Exemption Certificate to operate drones in the US, and has a team of UAS pilots approved by the FAA and the UK Civil Aviation Authority (CAA). The company conducts UAV inspections of live flare stacks, splash zones, decommissioning, general topside work and under deck, using HD video, still and thermal imagery. The data is analysed, processed and delivered through Sky-Futures' technology platform.

Jonathan Baliff, group president and CEO, Bristow, said: ‘In this new market reality where continued cost pressures compel companies to find new solutions, our investment in Sky-Futures puts Bristow at the forefront of offering innovative solutions that help our mutual clients achieve further efficiencies in their operations.

‘Through our partnership, we will collaborate with Sky-Futures and its leading safety culture, operational integration, and analysis technology to capitalise beyond the growing need for global UAV inspection services in oil and gas to other industries, including search and rescue.’

James Harrison, CEO and co-founder, Sky-Futures, added: ‘This partnership between Bristow and Sky-Futures enables us to rapidly expand the operational delivery of drone based inspection services in the global oil and gas market. We're really excited because it allows us to enhance our advanced technology platform that powers industrial data capture and analysis, providing our clients with increasingly valuable and actionable information.’