UAV Inspection of Oil Pipelines in Nigeria

2026-06-05

Customer Background

Widely used in the energy industry to transport natural gas, crude oil, and other chemical products, pipelines are typically laid in remote and hard-to-reach areas, covering vast geographic regions. To prevent energy leaks caused by aging or failures, our customer conducts regular detailed inspections of its oil pipelines-which require significant investment in manpower, time, and financial resources, yet still do not achieve satisfactory inspection efficiency.

Project Overview

Project Item	Project Details
Project Location	Nigeria
Project Name	UAV Inspection of Oil Pipelines in Nigeria
Industry Type	Oil
Training Duration	4 days
Training Time	Aug-25

Project Requirements and Challenges

● Remote Location

To maximize land utilization and reduce potential risks to residents and urban areas, oil pipelines are laid in remote regions with limited transportation and infrastructure.

● Extensive Coverage

Oil pipelines are used for long-distance resource transportation, spanning vast geographic areas and significantly increasing inspection costs.

● Complex Pipeline Structure

Most manual inspections are limited to ground-level checks, making it difficult to detect cracks, leaks, or corrosion in elevated or hidden areas in a timely manner.

● Chemical Hazards

Oil poses both acute and chronic health risks to the human body, including skin diseases, headaches, dizziness, nausea, and respiratory irritation caused by prolonged inhalation or direct contact,. Traditional manual inspections inevitably increase exposure to these hazards.

Our Solutions

Based on the characteristics of pipeline design and the customer's requirements, we provided a UAV solution including a fixed-wing UAV and video transmission system, and successfully integrated our UAV system with the customer's camera system. Through this project, the customer has effectively reduced human intervention during inspections and significantly improved the efficiency of routine pipeline inspection operations.

● Sky Whale Electric VTOL

The Sky Whale Electric VTOL is one of our best-selling products. It features a wingspan of 3914 mm and supports a maximum takeoff weight of 34 kg. It is compatible with external payloads and has a maximum flight endurance of up to 3.5 hours. This fixed-wing UAV not only enables vertical takeoff and landing (VTOL) but also supports stable fixed-wing cruising. Whether operating over flat terrain or in rugged environments, it is capable of long-endurance, long-range, and wide-area pipeline inspection.

Sky Whale Electric VTOL (2)

● N150 Video Transmission System

The N150 video transmission system is used to enable data and video transmission between the ground control station and the UAV, with a transmission range of up to 150 km. The YANGDA video link adopts automatic frequency hopping technology to minimize channel interference and ensure low-latency data transmission. In addition, it is equipped with AES-256 level encryption to guarantee data integrity while ensuring the security of the customer's industrial assets.

Sky Whale Electric VTOL 3)

● Integration with the Customer's Camera System

In addition to deploying YANGDA UAV and video transmission system, the customer also required integration with their existing camera system. Through proper calibration and adjustment, we have successfully achieved full compatibility across the two systems, providing a more accurate, long-endurance, and efficient new experience for pipeline inspection operations.

Sky Whale Electric VTOL (1)

Service Process

● Phase 1: Requirement Alignment

The sales team held in-depth discussions with the customer regarding specific project requirements and provided a tailored product solution based on the actual application environment.

● Phase 2: Solution Confirmation and Detailed Design

We responded promptly to the customer's feedback on the initial proposal and made the necessary adjustments. After final confirmation from both parties, the order was issued to the factory and officially entered production.

● Phase 3: Manufacturing and Quality Control

Once the order was placed, production was immediately scheduled. A dedicated project group was then created to provide the customer with real-time updates on production progress.

● Phase 4: On-site Installation and Technical Support

After the equipment was shipped to Nigeria in batches, our experienced technical engineering team was dispatched to Nigeria to provide installation guidance, system commissioning, and on-site flight demonstrations.

Customer Feedback

After the project was completed, we conducted a follow-up visit with the customer to gather feedback on their experience and suggestions. The customer expressed high satisfaction with YANGDA's products and services. In particular, they were surprised by the ease of use and stability of the UAV system, which effectively streamlined traditional inspection workflows and helped them achieve a smooth transition from complex traditional inspection to modern UAV inspection in a relatively short time. Generally, the customer has shown strong confidence in the long-term value of UAV-based pipeline inspection.