UTEC StarNet has announced an expansion of its partnership with Sky Futures for three-dimensional inspection and onshore and offshore asset management.

The collaboration makes use of UTEC StarNet's information management and document control and laser scan capabilities and Sky Future's unmanned aerial vehicle inspection and measurement services.

UAVs are increasingly popular tools in the energy sector thanks to their ability to operate in harsh or hard-to-reach environments where it may not be safe to deploy personnel.

One such use is surveying for corrosion or damage in high risk areas.

With operating costs lower than manned aircraft, UAVs can save time as well as boosting employee safety.

UTEC chief development officer Steve Rampton said the company had gained experience operating with advanced UAVs in the North Sea and would be able to bring that capability to the Americas.

Sky Futures is a UK-based company providing UAV inspection services to clients globally in the oil and gas, renewable and utilities sectors.

It has expertise in engineering inspection and reporting using high definition video and thermal camera imagery.

Sky Futures also recently developed proprietary DTL-VU software that is used to detect defects and corrosion.