Key Point: Building on Past Achievement to Further Advanced Drone Technology and Operational Efficiency
Tokyo, June 17, 2025 – Terra Drone Corporation (“Terra Drone”), a leading drone and Urban Air Mobility (UAM) technology company headquartered in Japan, has renewed its joint research and development (“R&D”) agreement with MODEC, Inc. (“MODEC”) for the non-destructive internal inspection of crude oil storage tanks on Floating Production, Storage, and Offloading systems (FPSOs) using its in-house developed Terra UT drones. This renewed agreement builds upon the joint R&D contract signed by both companies in 2024, following significant achievement in improving measurement accuracy, enhancing safety, and reducing inspection time. The renewed partnership aims to further advance the practical application and operational deployment of this technology.
On FPSOs, periodic structural inspections are indispensable, but must be performed in parallel with production operations by a limited number of crew members. The ability to safely perform inspections without increasing the number of personnel onboard offers a significant advantage. By innovating drone inspection techniques, MODEC and Terra Drone will continue to contribute to improved occupational safety, manpower reduction, and greater efficiency in FPSOs and other offshore platform operations (*1).
Background
FPSOs require regular maintenance and inspections to ensure stable crude oil and gas production over operational lifespans exceeding 20 years. However, conventional manual inspections in elevated or confined spaces present significant occupational safety risks and remain a common challenge across the industry. To address this, Terra Drone and MODEC have been jointly developing drone-based solutions with the goal of fully replacing manual inspections inside FPSO crude oil storage tanks.
Through this collaboration, the two companies have successfully reduced inspection time and enhanced safety by developing the Terra UT drone for inspection operations on FPSOs operating offshore Brazil.
【Terra Drone and MODEC: Progress of Technical Collaboration and Joint R&D】
- FY2023: Signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) to initiate technical collaboration (2).
- FY2024: Entered into a joint R&D agreement based on the MoU (3).
- FY2025: Renewed the agreement based on the successful results from the joint R&D efforts.
Key Achievements in FY2024
- Improved measurement accuracy through the enhancement of ultrasonic sensors.
- Enhanced safety during inspection operations by equipping the drone with a gas detector.
- Significantly increased cleaning efficiency: The upgraded wire brush enables more effective removal of impurities and oil residues (such as wax), allowing up to 10 times more inspection operations within the same time frame compared to previous method.
- Continuous power supply via tethered cable: The introduction of a tethered cable system eliminates the need for battery replacement, reducing the number of drone landings during inspections to one-tenth of the previous frequency.
Development Themes for FY2025
Building on these technological achievements, the renewed agreement will focus on the following new development items.
①Optimization of Airframe Structure and Design: Enhancing robustness and operational stability for global deployment
- Integration of high-resolution cameras to improve visual inspection capabilities
- Redesigned airframe for improved maintainability
- Increased robustness and adaptability for large tanks through reinforced and extended tether cables
- Enhanced safety with advanced explosion-proof measures for the tethered cable system
- Airframe designed for air transport to facilitate global deployment
②Development of New Measurement Technologies: Introduction of a gel-free measurement method for inspections, further improving operational efficiency
Ultrasonic Inspection Using the Terra UT Drone
The Terra UT drone is an industrial drone developed by Terra Drone for the non-destructive measurement of steel wall thickness inside storage tanks. By analyzing the reflected waves from its onboard ultrasonic sensors, the drone can quantitatively assess corrosion and thinning of the steel material. Before measurement, the inner walls of crude oil storage tanks, often covered with sand and oil residues (such as wax), are cleaned using a built-in wire brush to ensure a smooth surface. A specialized inspection gel is then applied to facilitate the transmission of ultrasonic waves, after which the sensor is pressed against the tank wall for measurement. By repeating this process at multiple points, the drone enables comprehensive assessment of the tank’s internal surface condition.
Future Prospects
Through this agreement, Terra Drone and MODEC aim to promote the widespread adoption of the drone-based inspection technologies developed under this agreement across the industry, while continuing to enhance the Terra UT drone and improve its operational efficiency. Going forward, both companies remain committed to leveraging drone technology to contribute to improve workplace safety, address labor shortages, and streamline inspection operations.
The impact of this project on Terra Drone’s consolidated financial results for the fiscal year ending January 2026 is expected to be minimal. Should any matters requiring disclosure arise in the future, an announcement will be made without delay.
Editor’s Notes:
1: Offshore platform: A marine structure that serves as a base for conducting production, or both drilling and production operations, in offshore environments
2: Related press release: https://terra-drone.net/global/2023/11/21/terra-drone-and-modec-inc-sign-mou-regarding-the-technical-development-of-inspection-drones-for-offshore-platforms/
3: Related press release: https://terra-drone.net/global/2024/07/01/modec-and-terra-drone-enter-joint-rd-agreement-to-enhance-offshore-platform-inspections-with-advanced-drone-technology-collaboration-to-serve-the-industry-by-enabling-unmanned-inspection/
About MODEC, Inc.
MODEC is the only company in Japan that provides a comprehensive range of services for floating offshore oil and gas production systems—such as FPSOs (Floating Production, Storage and Offloading systems)—including Engineering, Procurement, Construction and Installation (EPCI), leasing, and Operations & Maintenance.
As an industry leader, MODEC is actively pursuing next-generation inspection technologies to address the challenges faced by the offshore oil and gas sector as a whole. For more information, please visit our website: https://www.modec.com/jp
About Terra Drone Corporation
Terra Drone Corporation, headquartered in Japan, is a global leader in drone and Advanced Air Mobility (AAM) solutions. Dedicated to the mission of “Unlock ‘X’ Dimensions”, the company is committed to creating a prosperous future by “crossing” bridges—integrating diverse fields to foster innovation and find solutions. Specializing in surveying, inspections, agriculture, and UAS Traffic Management (UTM), Terra Drone serves industries such as oil and gas, construction, chemicals, energy, and agriculture.
With a portfolio of over 3,000 completed projects worldwide, Terra Drone has achieved significant milestones in the drone operations field. In July 2023, the company acquired a majority stake in Unifly, a world-leading provider of UTM platform, with deployments in over eight countries, followed by an investment in U.S.-based Aloft Technologies in February 2024, further expanding its capabilities in UTM.Terra Drone was listed on the Tokyo Stock Exchange Growth Market (Stock Code: 278A) on November 29, 2024. It also secured top spot in Global Drone Service Provider Rankings for 2024.
Recognized by Drone Industry Insights as one of the top three industrial drone service providers globally for five consecutive years, Terra Drone aims to build the digital infrastructure necessary to unlock the full potential of drones and AAM solutions. For more information, please visit our website: http://www.terra-drone.net
Media Contact:
PR Team, Terra Drone Corporation
Tel: +81-3-6419-7193
Email: pr@terra-drone.co.jp
