Marine Inspection Services (MIS) had the pleasure of hosting Adrian and Håvard from ScoutDI yesterday for a hands-on demonstration of the Scout 137 Gen 3, the latest and most advanced iteration of their inspection-grade drone system. As long-standing collaborators, our teams were excited to test the newest capabilities.
Challenging Test Setup at MIS
To properly evaluate the system, MIS constructed a mock oil-tanker deck longitudinal using carbon-steel material from a previous project. The surfaces were intentionally rough, uncoated, and included a section treated to simulate waxy crude-oil residue — some of the toughest conditions for consistent Ultrasonic Thickness Measurement (UTM).
Support members were arranged with 700 mm spacing, replicating some of the tightest environments typically encountered during deck-transverse inspections.
The Test
Using both handheld twin-crystal Tritex and Cygnus gauges, along with the drone’s Talisman twin-crystal UTM payload, we conducted a full range of comparative tests:
- Calibration on reference blocks
- Testing on bare steel
- Testing through simulated coatings
- UTM on rough and contaminated surfaces
All results were 100% successful, with the Scout 137 Gen 3 demonstrating exceptional reliability and repeatability.
One-Touch UTM: Dock, Clean, Couplant, Measure
The Gen 3 system showcased its ability to:
- Dock securely on uneven steel
- Clean surface debris
- Dispense couplant
- Capture UTM readings — all in one seamless operation!
This streamlined workflow was executed with impressive ease and stability. The MIS team witnessed the entire process, and the performance earned compliments from all present.
A History of Collaboration and Innovation
It’s our opinion here at MIS that ScoutDI’s drone solution now stands head and shoulders above traditional inspection methods when it comes to UTM readings and confined-space inspection capability.
MIS has worked closely with ScoutDI since the very first generation of the Scout 137. Our early adoption of their tethered-flight system marked a major milestone — overcoming the limitations of battery-powered drones and enabling proper, continuous inspections without interruption or degradation from environmental factors.
Gen 2 brought significant advancements in LiDAR, stability, and payload integration — including the integrated UTM system — which MIS rapidly adopted into our inspection workflow. Following multiple real world demonstrations to classification societies, ScoutDI’s drone-based UTM solution was accepted as fit for purpose and subsequently incorporated into our CLASS RIT certification, enabling MIS to offer drone-based UTM as part of our class-approved inspection services.
Forward Looking
Our partnership with ScoutDI has always been built on communication, transparency, and a shared commitment to safety and innovation. Seeing the capabilities of the Gen 3 firsthand reinforces our view that ScoutDI is leading the industry in drone-based UTM and inspection technology.
MIS will continue strengthening our partnership with the ScoutDI team, enabling us to migrate from traditional inspection methods to solid, results-based, proven technology.
We are genuinely excited to see what we can achieve together — and we look forward to deploying a Scout 137 Gen 3 on upcoming projects.
Find out more from us at :
