Drones ahoy! Shipping industry gets aboard new tech

USING drones for a wide range of functions is now set to become common at sea. Perhaps the only surprise is that it has taken the industry a long time to embrace this technology.

In the UK, criminal gangs were quick to tap the utility of drones for smuggling small objects into prisons. Thankfully measures are being taken to stop that. However, drone technology is now so reliable and cheap almost all industries will inevitably have uses for it.

In the shipping industry one very obvious use is to inspect tanks and other enclosed spaces during surveys.