Voliro's B-Scan Payload Brings Corrosion Mapping to Drone-Based NDT

Voliro's B-Scan Payload Brings Corrosion Mapping to Drone-Based NDT

In existing aerial non-destructive testing (NDT) workflows, skilled crews operating the Voliro T can collect more than 100 thickness measurements per hour — already a significant improvement over conventional rope-access or scaffolding-based inspections.

What B-Scan Changes

Voliro's new B-Scan roller payload uses an encoder-wheel system that maintains continuous surface contact as the drone travels along a structure. The results are striking: tens of thousands of measurements per hour, complete B-Scan waterfall records, and real-time thickness data.

Same Platform, Expanded NDT Capability

For existing Voliro T operators, the workflow remains unchanged — same drone, same pilot, same operating method — with scanning capability added on top. The practical implications, however, are significant:

• Full-area coverage: Continuous scanning eliminates blind spots between measurement points. For assets with known or suspected general corrosion, inspection coverage can now genuinely reflect the asset's actual condition rather than a statistically estimated sample.

• Defect sizing, not just detection: While point measurements confirm wall-thickness loss at a specific location, B-Scan data maps the full extent of that loss — how far corrosion has spread laterally and how depth varies across the affected area. This is precisely the information required for fitness-for-service assessments and remaining-life calculations.

• Audit-ready documentation: B-Scan waterfall images, thickness grids, and positional data are generated in real time during the flight and geo-referenced to Voliro's onboard positioning system. The output is a complete, auditable inspection record that can be reviewed, adjusted, and uploaded directly to Voliro Cloud — no additional processing steps needed to integrate it into reporting workflows.

• Reduced reliance on at-height personnel: Corrosion mapping at the resolution achievable with aerial B-Scan has historically required direct physical access — rope-access teams, scaffolding, or dedicated crawler systems. The Voliro T is progressively eliminating these dependencies across a growing range of asset types, including curved structures, in-service assets, and elevated components.

What Comes Next

The Voliro B-Scan roller payload is the first step in a broader scanning strategy for the Voliro T platform. UT arrays, phased-array ultrasonic systems, and corrosion-under-insulation (CUI) mapping are all on the technology roadmap, each building on the same roller-contact capability. For Voliro T operators, the platform they fly today is the one that will carry all of these capabilities in the future.

The technology is currently in early prototype stage, and Voliro is actively seeking Voliro T operators and asset owners to participate in field validation. If you manage critical infrastructure and want to be among the first to test this technology on your own assets, reach out to Voliro.

→ voliro.com/contact

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