Underwater inspections are often done in conditions where the water is not 100% clean. As a result, visibility is reduced and the results of an inspection are often not as good. Besides the water itself being dirty, often the assets under the waterline are not clean either. This is not always a problem, but it can lead to incomplete reports. That is why we offer an extra option: pre-cleaning of the assets that need to be inspected!

Why do assets need to be cleaned underwater?

In addition to the above arguments, there are a number of other issues that come into play during underwater inspections. For example, dirt from the bottom can loosen and obstruct the camera’s view. In addition, a dirty bottom or wall cannot be properly inspected for possible cracks if they cannot be seen because of a thick layer of dirt!

It is of course important to us that the water is clean enough for an inspection. In dirty water with a lot of loose litter or plant debris, the drone’s motors can get stuck. When this happens, the drone must be retrieved to remove the jammed material. This obviously takes some time and it hinders the (optimal) results!

What can we clean with our ROVs?

H2O Drones can clean different assets underwater for you! Different situations also require different cleaning.

For example, in a bridge culvert you can think of:

• ‘vacuuming’ the bottom;
• Spot cleaning parts of the wall;
• Flushing the bridge culvert itself to remove floating debris.

Of course, these points are not only possible for a bridge culvert, but can be used in various settings:

• Cleaning riser poles + quay walls to determine condition!
• Drinking water tanks cleaning of possible sludge to keep the water clean;
• Pré-dive inspection: cleaning up potentially hazardous objects before a dive.

How do we do this?

We really do the ‘vacuuming’ of the bottom with a kind of underwater vacuum cleaner!

With this vacuum cleaner a lot of silt can be removed quickly! All the silt and sand is sucked up under the suction head and can be discharged there.

We do spot cleaning with our Cavi-Blaster! The Cavi-Blaster can remove growth and dirt from walls, poles and partitions with high pressure. This makes it possible to inspect the condition of a wooden pole or to perform a thickness measurement in a small space.

Short and long-term benefits

In the short term, of course, you have a clean pipe and a complete report! This complete report can be of great importance for the longer term, on which maintenance or replacement plans can be based. Of course, a clean pipeline also gives you more peace of mind; you will always know exactly what is going on under the waterline and you will be able to move forward for years to come!

Want to learn more about the benefits of cleaning assets underwater? Then contact us now or follow us on Facebook, LinkedIn or YouTube!