TRONDHEIM, Norway, March 19, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- Scout Drone Inspection has successfully closed an investment round of 27.5 million Norwegian kroner. Equinor Ventures and DNV joined in the round together with existing shareholders, including Investinor and CoFounder, and new private investors.
Scout Drone Inspection (ScoutDI) creates specialized drones and associated cloud-based data analysis services for internal industrial inspection of ship tanks and similar confined space environments.
Today, asset owners and inspection companies are dependent on using scaffolding and climbing equipment or, filling the tank with water and use rafts to get to all the places that need to be inspected. The HS&E aspect is very important, and the inspection is therefore time-consuming and expensive using current methods.
ScoutDI's drone inspection system enables easier and faster inspection without the need for expert drone pilots and the technology will go a long way in revolutionizing this work. Such inspection activities are required regularly to ensure that the ship satisfies safety and quality requirements.
The drones are equipped with advanced laser sensors that can create a 3D map of the surroundings and at the same time estimate the drone's position in the 3D space. All inspection data is tagged with location information in the 3D model so that it is easy to understand where the findings are that need to be followed up through maintenance.
The inspections can be followed remotely and in real time via the cloud-based inspection portal. The drone system has been used for inspections with Equinor, DNV, Aker BP and Altera Infrastructure, among others, and the company has recently started delivery the first systems to customers. Among the first customers is a large ship inspection company based in Singapore.
- "This is an exciting company with global potential that has solutions that are important to our industry. We have followed the company over time and have great faith in both the technology and the team", says Lars Klevjer, Head of early phase and implementation in Equinor Ventures.
- "DNV wants to be involved in developing solutions to support a ship classification regime that is flexible and of high quality. Scout Drone Inspection is a unique company that is helping to take industrial inspection in a more efficient and safe direction. Together with the new owners, we hope to be able to provide both capital and expertise that can help take the company further", says Kaare Helle, Venture Director at DNV.
- "We are proud to have Equinor Ventures and DNV as owners of the company. With their expertise in regulations and requirements in the industry, as well as international orientation, both are very solid partners for us for the way forward. The fact that 9 existing shareholders and 4 new private investors also choose to invest further in us is a very good sign", says Nicolai Husteli, CEO of Scout Drone Inspection.
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Contact Persons:
Nicolai Husteli, CEO at ScoutDI, nicolai.husteli@scoutdi.com
Kaare Helle, Venture Director DNV, kaare.helle@dnv.com
Sissel Rinde, Communication Manager Equinor, sisr@equinor.com, +47 41260584
About:
Scout Drone Inspection (ScoutDI) develops specialized drones and associated cloud-based data analysis services for internal inspection of ships, tanks, and other indoor structures. The company was established in late 2017 and has its origins in the technical cybernetics department at NTNU. The concept received support from the Research Council through the FORNY program with NTNU Technology Transfer as project manager. In recent years, the company has established several projects with support from the Research Council of Norway and Innovation Norway.
Equinor Ventures (EV) is Equinor's venture arm dedicated to investing in ambitious early-stage and growth companies. EV believes that innovation, creativity, and agility in newly established companies can drive change and lead the energy industry towards a low-carbon future. EV offers venture capital, project-based financing of ideas in the early phase, and an accelerator program. All this is supported by technical expertise and financial guidance as well as a strong drive to implement the solutions in Equinor's own business.
DNV is a global company in quality assurance and risk management with a presence in over 100 countries. Whether it is approval of a new ship design, optimization of energy production from a wind farm, analysis of sensor data from a gas pipeline, or certification of the value chain of a food producer, DNV helps companies make good and correct decisions and increase confidence in the company, products, and their services. Since 1864, the company's purpose has been to secure life, property, and the environment. With unique technical expertise and independence, DNV assists its customers in improving safety, efficiency, and sustainability, and in coping with the global changes they face. dnv.no
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