scope:

The purpose of these Guidance Notes is to provide:

i) Information related to the use of UAVs in conjunction with class surveys

ii) Guidance to the marine and offshore industries on non-class-related UAV inspections

If UAVs are used in conjunction with class-related activities:

i) It is considered an alternative remote inspection technique to assist the attending Surveyor in performing an examination of hard to reach structures.

ii) Data supporting the crediting of class-related activities should be submitted to ABS.

Note: 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 inspections using alternative or traditional inspection techniques may be required.

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

These Guidance Notes are intended for pilot-operated UAVs, which may be referred to as Remote Piloted Aircraft (RPA), applications only. Local requirements and regulations for the use of UAVs should be checked and followed.

These Guidance Notes cover:

• Applications of UAVs (Section 2)

• Guidance for Service Provider Selection (Section 3)

• Survey Process (Section 4)

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