scope:

The purpose of these Guidance Notes is to provide information related to the use of UAVs in conjunction with class surveys and to provide guidance to the marine and offshore industries on non-class related UAV inspections.

If the application of UAVs is used in conjunction with class related activities, inspection by way of UAVs is considered as an alternative remote inspection technique to assist the attending Surveyor in performing an examination of hard to reach structures. The acceptance of the inspection results is at the discretion of the attending Surveyor. If the attending Surveyor is not satisfied with the results provided by the UAV inspection, additional inspection using alternative or traditional inspection techniques may be required.

For non-class related inspections, recommendations on selecting a qualified Service Provider, conducting flight operation and handling data should also be considered to allow for a safer, more effective, and efficient inspection.

These Guidance Notes are intended for pilot-operated UAV applications only. These Guidance Notes cover:

• Applications of UAVs (Section 2)

• Qualification of Service Providers (Section 3)

• Survey Process (Section 4)

• Data (Section 5)

IACS Recommendations No. 42, Guidelines for Use of Remote Inspection Techniques for Surveys, were considered in the development of these Guidance Notes.