Pharmaceuticals Industry Use Cases for Indoor Drones: An Overview of Assets and Applications

Indoor drones are playing a vital role in improving safety, efficiency, and accuracy during internal inspections. By enabling remote visual data collection, they help reduce human exposure to hazardous environments and streamline complex inspection processes.

In this article, we’ll explore the various use cases of indoor drones within the pharmaceutical sector, including:

• Key applications of indoor drones in pharmaceutical facilities
• Real-world case studies showcasing their impact

Key Use Cases for Indoor Drones in the Pharmaceuticals Industry

Indoor drones are being used to inspect a wide range of critical assets inside pharmaceutical plants. These inspections ensure that equipment is functioning properly, free from contamination, and compliant with strict regulatory standards.

Pressure Vessels

Bioreactors, which are essential in biopharmaceutical production, consist of large pressure vessels. Inspecting these vessels is crucial to prevent contamination and maintain product quality. Drones are used to check for scratches, corrosion, or other defects on the interior surfaces. They also inspect components like agitators, mag mixers, and baffles to ensure they’re not causing damage.

Piping and Pipe Racks

Drones are frequently deployed between pipe racks, cables, and conduits to check for wear, leaks, and proper valve positioning. This helps avoid the need for workers to climb into high-risk areas, significantly improving safety during routine inspections.

Storage Tanks

Indoor drones are used to assess the cleanliness and contents of storage tanks. They can determine how much material is left in the tank, helping with inventory management and ensuring no contamination occurs during storage.

Refrigeration Containers

In emergency situations such as power outages or extreme weather, materials in production may need to be moved into refrigerated containers. Drones allow quick and safe inspections to confirm these units are ready for immediate use when needed.

Pressure Testing / Line Testing

When modifications are made to a pressure line, it must be tested for leaks. Drones can fly along the ceiling space to collect visual data without requiring personnel to work at height, reducing risk and saving time.

Asset Commissioning

Before new equipment is put into operation, drones are used to perform inspections in confined spaces. This ensures that all construction work has been completed correctly and meets safety and compliance standards.

"Indoor drones offer significant advantages in the pharmaceutical industry by allowing remote data collection, improving safety, and reducing costs associated with scaffolding and downtime," says Jason Acerbi, General Manager at MFE.

Discover the 7 key benefits indoor drones bring to the pharmaceuticals industry.

Pharmaceuticals Industry Case Studies

Want to see how indoor drones are making a real difference? Here are some real-world examples:

Major Pharmaceutical Company Reduces Downtime with Elios 2 for Tank Inspections

A leading pharmaceutical company used the Elios 2 drone for tank inspections during a Riboflavin test. The results showed improved efficiency, reduced downtime, and enhanced safety. Read the full case study to learn more.

Inspector 3.0 Helps Locate Defects in a Hydrogen Reformer

An inspector used Flyability’s Inspector 3.0 software during a challenging hydrogen reformer inspection. The tool helped quickly locate and revisit defect sites, saving hours of manual work. Discover how this technology improved the process.